•     •" 

COp*  2     FORT  BRADDOCK 


IC-NRLF 


*D    3*4    OMQ 


PBENOH  AND  INDIAN  WARS, 
IN   AMERICA, 

AT  THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE 


EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 
•1 


PUBLISHED  BY  DOfcE.  &  HOVTLAV 

1827. 


I 


FORT  BRADDOCK 


OR 

A    TALE 

OF  THE 

FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WARS. 

IN  AMERICA, 

- 

AT  THE   BEGINNING    OF  THE 

EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 


PUBLISHED  BY  DORR  &  ROWLAND. 
1827. 


'i 


CHARLES  GRIFFIN — PRINTER WORCESTER 


^ 
B 

lit* 

INTRODUCTION. 

-«««»—  A"" 

THE  following  Letters,  first  pub 
lished  in  the  CONNECTICUT  MIRROR, 
will  be  found  to  contain  much  in 
structive  and  interesting  historical 
matter.  Although  clothed  in  the 
garb  of  fiction,  they  will  serve  to  il 
lustrate  many  circumstances  connect 
ed  with  the  spirit  and  character  of 
the  cotemporary  actors  of  the  age 
in  which  these  scenes  are  laid.  In 
the  peaceable  enjoyment  of  the  mul 
tiplied  blessings,  so  bountifully  show 
ered  down  upon  our  native  land,  it 
is  difficult  for  a  generation,  so  far 
removed  from  the  perilous  times 
herein  delineated,  to  place  a  proper 
estimate  upon  the  institutions,  that 
so  largely  contribute  to  their  happi 
ness,  and  so  firmly  secure  their 
rights.  Without  an  occasional  in- 

: M552266 


INTRODUCTION. 


quiry  into  the  origin  of  our  estab 
lishments,  and  the  price  at  which 
they  were  purchased,  we  should  be 
come  insensible  to  their  value,  and 
indifferent  to  their  preservation.  — 
The  tedious  details  and  dull  narra 
tions  of  many  ancient  historians, 
have  caused  their  works  to  be  unin 
teresting  to  most  modern  readers.  — 
Hence  it  has  been  found  necessary  to 
present  detached  passages  of  their 
works,  in  the  gildings  of  fiction  and 
romance,  to  render  them  more  invit 
ing  to  the  taste  of  a  fastidious  pub 
lic.  Our  own  writers  have,  as  yet, 
been  following  in  this  path,  the  great 
Novelists  of  Europe,  with  unequal 
steps  indeed,  but  not  warranted  by 
the  deeds  of  chivalry  and  noble  dar 
ing,  so  plentifully  scattered  through 
our  own  annals  ;  transactions  which, 
without  the  aid  of  fancy,  surpass 
the  legends  of  other  countries,  or 
the  efforts  of  the  most  eccentric  po 
etical  imagination. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Witli  a  view,  therefore,  of  en 
couraging  a  taste  for  inquiries  into 
the  deeds  of  our  fathers,  these  Let 
ters  are  now  presented  to  the  pub 
lic,  in  a  form  less  perishable  than 
the  columns  of  a  newspaper*  The 
unknown,  from  whom  they  originat 
ed,  evidently  drinks  deep  at  the  rich 
fountains  of  American  history,  and 
wields  a  pen  not  unworthy  of  an  im 
itator  of  his  great  prototype  of  Scot 
land.  Nor  is  the  value  of  these 
sketches  lessened  from  the  apparent 
anachronisms,  scattered  through 
their  pages  :  For  it  is  a  well  known 
fact,  that  graduates  from  Yale  Col 
lege  could  not  be  concerned  in  the 
capture  of  the  notorious  Capt.  Kidd, 
who  expiated  his  crimes  at  Execu- 
tionJDock,  before  any  students  had 
left  that  seminary. 

The  work  receives  its    title  from 

the  circumstance  that,  in  their  first 

publication,   they   purported   to   be 

discovered  bv  an  officer  of  the  pres- 

1*  " 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

ent  American  Army,  concealed  in  a 
trunk,  secreted  in  a  neglected  cor 
ner,  among  the  ruins  of  an  ancient 
fortress  near  Plattsburg,  (N.  Y.)  at 
the  northerly  end  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  and  now  rebuilt,  and  named 
Fort  Braddock. 


FORT   BRADDOCK   LETTERS. 


LETTER  I. 

w'  And  what  is  friendship  but  a  name."         * 

MORE  than  a  century  ago,  in  the  evening 
of  a  day  in  September,  three  students  in 
the  college  which  was  then  at  Saybrook, 
and  which  is  now  known  at  New  Haven  by 
the  name  of  Yale  College,  were  seated  in 
a  room,  in  the  only  building  which  that  in 
stitution  had  then  to  boast  of.  Something 
like  a  commencement  was  at  hand,  and 
these  young  men  had  parts  to  perform  at 
the  approaching  public  exhibition,  when 
they  were  to  receive  the  honors  of  that  in 
fant  seminary.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Davenport 
with  his  cap  and  band,  had  already  arrived 
in  town  ;  the  Rector  Williams,  was  expect 
ed  from  Weathersfield,  in  the  first  boat 
down  the  Connecticut  river ;  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Saltonstall,  the  clergyman  at  New  London. 


&  FORT   ERADDOCK 

afterwards  the  ambassador  to  the  Dutch 
settlement  at  Manhattan,  now  New  York, 
and  shortly  after  the  governor  of  this  colo 
ny,  was  expected  to  accompany  his  excel 
lency  governor  Winthrop  from  New  Lon 
don  ;  and  most  of  the  clergy  from  the 
churches  then  gathered,  it  was  thought 
would  attend.  The  word  splendid  is  a  rel 
ative  term — it  was  used  by  our  ancestors, 
and  was  good  English  as  long  ago  as  the 
time  of  Richard  the  Lion  hearted.  They 
expected  a  splendid  commencement  at  Say- 
brook.  The  native  stock  of  female  beau 
ty,  for  which  that  town  even  to  the  present 
day  is  famous,  was  to  be  increased  on  the 
occasion  by  the  great  grandmothers  of  the 
present  generation,  then  in  the  bloom  of 
youth,  who  came,  some  on  foot  and  some  in 
canoes,  from  the  shore  of  the  river.  The 
more  highborn  and  wealthy  came  on  horse 
back,  and  generally  rode  double:  They 
were  dressed  in  cloth  of  their  own  manu 
facture,  made  up  by  themselves  in  the  fash 
ion  of  the  day,  with  long  waists,  short 
sleeves,  &c.  their  stockings  were  blue,  ana 
their  shoes  were  not  morocco.  Yet  the 
manuscript  speaks  of  bright  eyes,  rosy 
cheeks,  smiling  lips,  pearly  teeth,  and  all 
the  witchery  of  female  charms.  This  sad 
taste  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  considering 
the  unimproved  state  of  the  female  cus 
toms,  can  only  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 


LETTERS.  9 

that  these  classic  beaux  themselves  wore 
(except  on  public  days)  checked  shirts  and 
bnttenut  coloured  coats,  with  long  backs, 
full  skirts  and  large  pewter  buttons.  It  is 
even  said  that  in  those  days  of  simplicity, 
one  of  the  lay  members  of  the  corporation 
rode  with  beetle  rings  in  the  place  of  stir 
rups. 

At  the  meeting  I  have  mentioned,  this 
display  was  in  expectency.  The  conver 
sation  of  those  young  men  related  in  part 
to  the  several  subjects  on  which  they  had 
written,  and  in  part  to  their  approaching 
separation,  and  the  course  of  life  they 
would  pursue.  They  read  to  each  other 
their  several  compositions.  One  of  them 
by  the  name  of  Dudley,  from  the  vicinity 
of  Boston,  whom  his  parents  had  always  in 
tended  for  a  military  mar,  and  who  was 
soon  to  enter  into  the  small  but  active  ser 
vice  of  the  times,  had  prepared  an  oration 
in  Greek  upon  civilizing  the  Indians.  An 
other  whose  name  was  Van  Tromp,  whose 
Dutch  parents  had  owned  the  very  spot 
where  Fort  Braddock  now  stands,  and  lived 
in  its  vicinity,  had  written  a  piece  of  pas- 
torial  poetry  on  the  pleasures  of  retire 
ment  ;  which  as  he  was  quite  domestic,  for 
this  charming  retreat,  was  said  to  be  very 
feeling.  His  parents  were  dead,  and  he 
was  to  return  with  a  considerable  property 
and  much  family  influence  to  his  large  but 
I* 


10  FORT    BRADDOCK 

wild  estate,  which  was  then  known  for 
many  a  mile  by  the  Dutch  name  of  Hardzs- 
coggin.  At  the  early  age  of  twenty  he  was 
to  be  master  of  his  own  conduct — and  with 
ample  means  for  the  times,  was  to  he  the 
head  man  among  servants  and  dependants, 
and  the  new  settlers  in  his  neighborhood. 

The  remaining  member  of  the  trio,  was 
a  reserved  youth  who  had  formed  no  inti 
macy  during  his  stay  at  college,  but  with 
these  two  companions.  He  had  never  un 
til  now  spoken  of  his  origin  or  his  pros 
pects  ;  his  name  was  Du  Quesne.  He 
made  on  this  accasion  rather  a  melancholy 
disclosure  to  his  companions,  that  he  knew 
little  or  nothing  of  his  parentage  ;  that  he 
had  been  constantly  supplied  by  a  gentle 
man  in  New  York,  with  a  quarterly  pay 
ment  of  money,  which  was  remitted  from 
France  by  some  unknown  hand,  accompani 
ed  by  letters  not  signed,  which  directed  the 
plan  of  his  education.  He  was  to  return  to 
New  York  and  attempt  the  study  of  the 
Jaw.  He  had  always  been  better  dressed 
than  the  other  students,  and  wore  by  ex 
press  direction,  one  of  the  most  rare  and 
extravagant  ornaments  of  the  day — a  large 
gold  watch,  of  curious  workmanship.  Great 
care  had  been  taken  to  supply  additional 
books,  and  private  instructions  upon  sever 
al  branches  of  science  not  professedly 
taught  in  the  college.  A  turn  of  mind  rath- 


LETTERS.  1  1 

er  melancholy,  inclined  him  to  study  and 
made  him  a  scholar.  He  not  only  learned 
the  dead  languages,  which  were  then  bet 
ter  understood  than  at  present,  but  he  spoke 
French,  and  had  a  good  acquaintance  with 
polite  literature.  He  read  in  his  turn  a 
little  essay  which  he  proposed  to  speak,  on 
the  uncertainty  of  fortune,  and  the  vicissi 
tudes  of  human  life  ;  some  of  which  it  af 
terwards  appeared  he  was  doomed  to  expe 
rience.  The  unsettled  state  of  this  new 
country,  and  their  approaching  separation 
for  a  distance  of  time  and  space  which  they 
could  not  determine,  was  then  the  topic  of 
conversation ;  they  spoke  ot  their  pilgrim 
age  as  lonely,  and  dwelt  with  the  enthusi 
asm  of  young  men  upon  the  great  benefits 
that  might  result  from  union  and  mutual  as 
sistance.  They  seemed  each  to  feel  the 
want  of  support,  and  expressed  their  confi 
dence  in  each  other;  this  ended  before 
their  separation  for  the  night  in  solemn 
pledges  for  future  friendship,  which  they 
engaged  should  be  of  so  serious  and  practi 
cal  a  kind,  that  if  any  one  of  them  should 
at  any  time  in  their  lives  be-  involved  in 
difficulty,  or  need  assistance,  the  others 
should  immediately,  on  notice,  be  bound  to 
render  it,  at  the  expense  of  every  hazard 
whether  of  person  or  property.  Upon  the 
strength  of  this  they  departed  in  better 
spirits. 


12  FORT    BRADDOCK 

It  is  said  that  the  commencement  was 
celebrated  with  more  parade  than  was  evefi 
expected — for  in  addition  to  the  dignitaries 
of  church  and  state,  whose  attendance  was 
as  punctual  as  usual,  the  celebrated  Capt. 
Mason  on  his  return  from  an  Indian  victory, 
on  his  way  to  Stonington,  stopped  at  the 
town  and  honored  the  company  with  his 
presence.  It  is  of  this  very  occasion,  that 
he  speaks  in  a  manuscript  account  of  his 
campaign,  which  is  still  extant,  in  which 
he  commends  the  good  conduct  of  Lt.  Gar 
diner  who  commanded  the  garrison  on  the 
platform,  where,  to  use  his  own  language, 
he  was  "  formally  received  and  nobly  en 
tertained  with  many  great  guns." 


LETTERS.  13 

LETTER  II. 

u  Ah  who  ran  tell  how  hard  it  is  to  climb 

The  steep  where  Fame's  proud  temple  shines  afar.1' 

The  scholars  were  dismissed  from  Say- 
brook  and  each  betook  himself  to  his  home 
and  entered  upon  the  course  of  life  which 
his  friends  or  his  fortune  had  prescribed  for 
him.  Du  Quesne,  with  whom  we  must  at 
present  continue,  repaired  to  New  York, 
where  upon  his  being  admitted  to  the  bar, 
as  in  due  time  he  was,  his  mysterious  sup 
ply  of  money  was  withheld,  and  he  was  left 
without  relatives  or  connexions  to  make  the 
usual  slow  and  uncertain  progress  in  the 
business  of  the  profession.  He  was  of  a 
temperament  much  too  sensitive  for  his  own 
comfort,  in  a  calling,  which  at  that  time  at 
any  rate,  however  it  may  be  at  present,  ex 
posed  him  to  personal  altercation,  contra 
diction,  and  that  sharp  and  harsh  collision 
which  tries  and  strengthens  the  passions  of 
the  heart,  at  least  as  much  as  it  does  the 
faculties  of  the  mind. 

He  had  a  natural  and  easy  eloquence,  and 
more  taste  and  learning  than  most  of  his  as 
sociates.  His  attention  to  his  Business  was 
strict,  but  it  was  forced,  and  his  occasional 
success  embittered  his  enemies  more  than 
it  conciliated  his  friends.  He  even  conceit 
ed  at  times,  that  the  courts  before  which  he 
practised,  had  their  favorites,  arid  that  he 


14  FORT    BRADDOCK 


was  not  in  the  number.  Sometimes  neg 
lected,  always  opposed,  and  often  mortified, 
he  yet  patiently  persevered — though  he 
soon  found  himself  the  object  of  personal 
enmity,  and  was  convinced  of  attempts  to 
defeat  his  progress.  He  resolved  to  exert 
his  industry  to  acquire  the  means  of  support 
in  some  place  in  the  new  settlements,  as  re 
mote  as  was  consistent  with  personal  secu 
rity,  where  land  was  cheap,  and  where  in 
dependence  might  be  easily  purchased. 
This  vision  of  comfort  he  cherished  in  se 
cret,  and  resorted  to  it  in  his  day  dreams  as 
his  standing  consolation.  But  his  enemies 
were  too  active,  and  shortened  the  period 
which  was  necessary  to  his  success.  Some 
bills  and  papers  relating  to  claims  in  a  suit 
to  a  large  amount,  and  which  were  entrust 
ed  to  him,  were  missing,  as  he  found  when 
he  was  preparing  his  cases.  He  searched 
in,  vain — his  anxiety  amounted  to  distress. 
He  feared  to  ask  for  an  accommodation,  for 
it  was  attended  with  the  risque  of  disclos 
ure.  Those  who  had  artfully  accomplished 
their  object,  by  involving  him  in  this  em 
barrassment,  were  little  likely  to  show  him 
favor.  Thefe  was  no  alternative — after 
weeks  of  agony  the  term  began,  the  suits 
were  defeated — he  was  personally  liable  for 
the  loss,  and  industriously  exposed  to  cen 
sure.  His  employers  were  advised  to  their 


LETTERS.  15 

remedy  against  him,  and  the  least  of  his 
troubles  was  the  constant  expectation  of  be- 
in^  arrested. 

One  morning  very  early,  with  an  agitat 
ed  mind  he  crossed  the  river  to  the  Jersey 
shore,  for  the  sake  of  relieving  or  indulging 
his  melancholy,  and  having  to  himself  a  few 
moments  of  silence  and  security.  There 
was  a  retired  spot  at  no  great  distance  from 
the  shore  sheltered  by  trees,  and  surround 
ed  by  rural  beauty,  which  seemed  to  invite 
the  solitary,  and  ofter  its  quiet  scenery  to 
sooth  the  angrv  passions,  and  imperceptibly 
to  substitute  feelings  of  a  softer  kind.  And 
yet  this  is  the  very  spot  which  from  that 
day  to  this  has  been  the  battle  ground  of 
wounded  honor.  How  often  has  it  witness 
ed  the  worst  of  passions,  and  how  rich  has 
been  the  blood  that  has  at  times  been  shed 
there  !  To  this  spot  he  was  unconsciously 
approaching,  when  he  was  roused  by  the 
near  report  of  fire  arms.  Fie  quickened  his 
pace  in  the  direction  of  the  noise,  and  on 
coming  to  a  natural  lawn  among  the  trees, 
discovered  a  man  apparently  wounded  and 
just  fallen.  Three  others  were  hastening 
through  the  thicket  and  evidently  bent  on  a 
hasty  escape,  The  nature  of  this  transac 
tion  was  evident.  He  called  upon  the  fu- 
gatives  in  vain — he  followed  them  some  dis 
tance,  till  they  were  out  of  his  sight,  and 
returned,  when  he  found  there  was  no  hope 


16  FORT    BRADDOCK 

of  assistance,  towards  the  wounded  man. — 
He  stopped  in  his  way  only  to  take  up  a  pis 
tol  which  lay  on  the  ground  about  ten  pac 
es  from  the  object  of  his  attention.  On  his 
reaching  the  wounded  man,  what  was  his 
astonishment  to  find  that  his  own  most  bit 
ter  enemy  and  rival  lay  speechless  and  dy 
ing",  lie  looked  up  with  an  expression  un 
utterable,  when  he  saw  who  it  was  that 
came  to  his  assistance,  made  a  violent  at 
tempt  to  speak,  gasped  and  died. 

This  moment  Du  Quesne  was  stooping  to 
assist  in  raising  the  body  already  lifeless, 
when  several  men  who  had  been  alarmed 
by  the  same  noise  which  drew  him  to  the 
place,  rushed  hastily  upon  him  and  as  he 
began  artlessly  to  ask  them  for  help,  secur 
ed  him  as  their  prisoner,  and  charged  him 
with  the  murder. 

His  surprise  made  his  answers  incoherent, 
and  his  agitation  to  their  eyes  was  evidence 
of  guilt.  In  this  state  of  mind  he  was  re- 
conveyed  to  the  city,  taken  before  a  magis 
trate  and  charged  with  the  facts.  On  the 
examination,  it  appeared  the  pistol  found  in 
his  possession,  had  been  recently  discharg 
ed,  the  lock  was  sprung,  and  the  smell  and 
marks  of  newly  burnt  powder  were  strong 
about  it.  A  surgeon  had  extracted  a  ball 
from  the  dead  man,  which  exactly  corres 
ponded  with  the  calibre  of  the  pistol.  It 
was  likewise  in  proof  that  there  had  been 


LETTERS.  17 

a  bitter  enmity  between  the  deceased  and 
the  accused. 

l"  You  are  a  lawyer,  Mr.  Du  Qussne," 
said  the  magistrate,  u  and  know  that  you  can 
answer  or  not  to  the  charge.  What  say  you, 
is  there  any  reason  why  you  should  not  be 
fully  committed  for  trial  ?  The  offence  is 
not  bailable  you  know."  "  Arid  if  it  wns," 
said  Du  Quesne  "  I  have  no  bail."  "  Do 
you  choose  to  attempt  any  defence  or  ex 
planation  ?  It  will  be  evidence  against  you 
you  know,  though  not  in  your  favor.  You 
are  agitated — take  a  moment's  time." 

This,  moment's  time  helped  a  little  to  com 
pose  the  prisoner's  spirits.  He  cast  his  eye 
around  a  room  filled  with  boys  and  men, 
black  and  ivhite,  ragged,  dirty  and  vulgar. 
It  occurred  to  him  how  absurd  it  was,  in  the 
presence  of  such  an  audience,  to  say  to  a 
Dutch  Justice,  that  his  morning  walk  was 
one  of  sentiment,  and  that  the  scenery  and 
silence  operated  upon  the  workings  of  his 
mind  to  cross  the  river. 

He  contented  himself  with  a  simple  dec 
laration  of  his  innocence,  which  he  knew 
the  Justice  did  not  believe,  and  mustering 
his  self-possession,  said,  that  he  was  with 
out  evidence  and  without  friends.  He  ut 
tered  this  last  word  with  a  voice,  and  in  a 
manner  that  would  have  out-done  the  best 
of  actors.  A  tear  slid  upon  his  long  and 
drooping  eyelash,  and  fell  upon  the  floor : 
2* 


18  FORT   BRADDOCK 

it  was  succeeded  by  another — his  face  was 
fixed  and  the  last  word  friends,  had  recalled 
to  his  mind  some  strong  recollections. 

The  Justice  was  looking  fully  at  him,  and 
felt  ior  his  distress,  and  as  far  as  morals 
were  concerned,  could  excuse  the  man  who 
met  his  adversary  in  an  honorable  way.  He 
went  up  to  him  and  led  him  to  the  further 
corner  of  the  room.  "  My  worthy  friend, 
(said  he,)  confess  the  whole  ;  I'll  help  you 
if  I  can — he  was  a  good  for  nothing  fellow, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  fairly  killed; — come 
tell  me  what  you've  got  to  say  !" 

"  Mr.  Van  Erp,"  said  the  prisoner,  "  up 
on  my  soul's  safety,  I  am  not  guilty!" 

"  Oh  I  know  that,"  said  the  Justice,  "  it 
is  no  great  crime  in  a  fair  way  to  dispose  of 
such  a  fellow,  especially  in  your  case — but 
don't  deny  the  fact ;  you  may  confide." 

"  Yes,  I  do  confide,  while  I  tell  you  that 
I  did  not  do  it." 

"  What,"  said  the  justice  "not  shoot  him!" 
"  No,  I  did  not." 

"Be  it  so,"  said  the  Justice,  incredulous 
ly  shaking  his  head,  "  you  are  a  lawyer,  and 
have  heard  the  evidence  ;  you  know  1  must 
commit  you:  delay  is  useless.  The  squire 
as  he  was  termed,  made  out  his  mittimus 
himself,  (for  in  this  country  the  magistrates 
have  no  clerks,)  and  Du  Quesne  was  fol 
lowed  to  the  gaol  by  the  rabble  that  had 
attended  his  trial.  The  gaol  then  stood  on 


LETTERS.  1 9 

the  East  River,  near  the  centre  of  that  bu 
sy  spot,  where  there  are  now  so  many  slips 
and  grocers — where  the  streets  are  so  dirly 
and  the  passing  so   difficult.     The   building 
itself  was  made  partly  of  stone  and  partly  of 
logs  ;  and  the  gaol  house,  in  which  the  keep 
er  and  his  family   lived,  was  part    of  the 
building.     The    gaoler    too,  was  a  man   of 
some  distinction  ;  and,  by  virtue  of  his  of 
fice,  a  member  of  the  city  corporation.     In 
one  of  the   cells  of  this  establishment  was 
our  high  minded  and  aspiring  friend  locked 
up,  and  left  to  his  meditations.     It  was  some 
time  before  he  could  regain  his  self-posses 
sion,  and  his  busy  thoughts  then  suggested 
to  him  the  certainty  of  his  fate,  the   short 
ness  of  the  interval,  and  the  agonizing  re 
flections  which  that  interval  must  be  mark 
ed.     The  gallows  would  be  the  last  object 
before  his  closing  eyes  at  night,  and  the  first 
thought  which  the   mild   beam  of  morning 
would  bring  along  with  it.     His   very  slum 
bers  were  disturbed  with  dreams — dreams 
of  the  throng  of  faces  which  would  surround 
the  place   of  his  execution,  vacant,  vulgar, 
and    unfeeling — dreams   of  the    cart,    the 
hangman,  and  the  coffin  on  which  he  should 
sit  and  of  the  awful  dialogue  with  his  ghost 
ly   confessor    about   his    future    state — the 
dread  memento  of  the  sheriff,  u  you  have 
but  half  an  hour  to  live,"  and   the   grave 
ready  dug  at  the  foot  of  the  scaffold.    These 


20  FORT    BRADDOCK 

dreams  would  awake  him  only  to  the  con 
sciousness  that  it  was  all  true  !  When  a- 
wake,  he  meditated  on  his  hopes  of  acquit 
tal.  The  law  on  duelling1  was  very  severe, 
and  the  common  law  called  it  murder. — 
The  statute,  however,  in  those  sad  times, 
unlike  these  of  modern  and  more  impartial 
days,  was  unequally  administered.  Some 
who  had  friends  could  transgress  with  im 
punity,  while  others  were  left  to  the  rigor 
of  the  law.  It  was  easy  for  the  judge  to 
show  that  the  law  was  plain  and  that  con 
viction  was  inevitable.  It  was  equally  sat 
isfactory  to  hear  him  put  anaiagous  cases 
and  show  that  the  man,  who  on  midden  prov 
ocation,  would  be  guilty  only  of  manslaugh 
ter,  if  he  should  exercise  a  noble  forbear 
ance  and  give  his  adversary  a  chance  for 
his  life,  would  commit  a  crime  still  less  when 
he  killed  his  man  in  fair  and  honorable  duel. 

But  our  friendless  prisoner  was  well  aware 
that  very  little  ingenuity  from  the  bench, 
would  be  exercised  in  his  favor.  The  most 
impartial  direction  would  be,  that  the  law 
should  take  its  course. 

Nearly  five  years  had  elapsed  since  his 
residence  at  Saybrook.  To  this  last  peace 
ful  period  of  his  life,  his  thoughts  naturally 
recurred,  and  dwelt  on  the  only  friendship- 
with  which  his  days  had  been  sweetened, 
Dudley  was  probably  on  the  ocean,  and 
would  hear  of  his  misfortunes  only  to  bewail 
bis  death. 


LETTERS.  52  I 

He  knew  \\e\\  where  Van  Tromp  lived 
but  could  not  see  how  he  could  assist.  Yet 
his  presence,  his  influence,  and  perhaps  his 
counsel,  might  relieve  if  not  avert  his  suf 
ferings.  There  was  at  that  time  a  regular 
communication  kept  up  between  the  Dutch 
settlement  at  New  Amsterdam  and  the 
French  Posts  on  the  Canada  line,  by  the 
way  of  the  North  River  and  Lake  Cham- 
plain.  To  be  sure,  as  the  residence  of  Van 
Tromp  was  out  flf  the  way  and  the  country 
was  wild,  the  arrival  of  a  letter  was  uncer 
tain.  Yet  as  he  had  nothing  else  to  do,  he 
determined  if  only  to  feed  his  hopes,  to  write 
letter  after  letter  by  every  return  of  the 
carrier  and  by  every  other  opportunity  of 
sending  to  that  vicinity. 

His  letters  were  of  nearly  the  same  ten 
or,  all  conversant  about  the  same  thing. 
The  only  one  preserved  is  the  following. 

GAOL  AT  NEW  AMSTERDAM. 

My  Dear  and  only  friend^ 

I  am  here  confined  as  a  criminal,  on  a 
capital  charge,  and  am  to  be  tried  in  about 
ten  months,  with  no  hope  of  being  acquit 
ted.  To  you  it  is  not  necessary  that  I  should 
go  into  detail  ;  I  know  your  confidence  in 
me  to  be  such,  that  you  will  take  my  de 
claration  that  I  am  wholly  innocent;  for  I 
would  not  call  you  to  the  rescue  of  the  guil 
ty.  My  only  solace  now  is,  that  I  can  dis- 


22  FORT   BRADDOCK 

close  my  every  thought  to  you,  that  I  can 
repose  on  your  friendship  with  perfect  se 
curity,  and  rely  on  your  exertions  as  fully 
as  on  my  own.  My  thoughts  are  too  dis 
tracted  to  devise  any  mode  of* assistance  ;  I 
leave  that  to  you. — Yet  use  your  influence, 
and  though  it  may  all  be  in  vain,  let  me,  if 
possible,  see  you  once  more. 

CARLOS  Du  QUESNE.,- 

LETTER    IV. 

"Speed,  Malise,  speed!   the  dun  deer's  hide 
"  On  fleeter  foot  was  never  tried." 

A  war  between  the  French  and  English 
settlers,  on  their  respective  frontiers,  was 
at  this  time  on  the  oul  break,  as  it  was  term 
ed  :  several  log  bouses  of  remote  adventur 
ers  had  been  burned.  The  Indian  tribes 
had  been  enlisted  upon  the  one  side  and  the 
other,  and  news  was  constantly  corning  in 
to  the  Blasted  Tree,  (as  Van  Tromp's  pro 
prietary,  or  land  patent  was  termed)  of  In 
dian  scalps  and  massacres. 

One  evening  as  he  sat  alone,  thinking  of 
the  approaching  trouble?,  and  devising  plans 
of  security,  a  negro  domestic  came  into  the 
room  and  presented  to  him  the  letter  of  Du 
Quesne.'  He  read  it  over  with  the  utmost 
interest.  Troubled  as  he  was  to  provide 
for  the  security  of  his  numerous  dependants, 
and  exposed  as  he  was  to  sudden  inroads  of 


LETTERS.  23 

the  hostile  Indians,  he  remembered  his 
promise  of  support,  and  resolved  lo  redeem 
his  pledge.  At  any  other  time  he  would 
have  gone  himself;  but  to  be  absent  at 
present  would  be  desertion,  and  might  be 
followed  by  the  ruin  of  the  settlement.— 
Those, xvho  had  settled  in  the  neighbor 
hood,  had  families  which  they  could  not 
leave,  and  were  of  a  capacity  not  adequate 
to  the  undertaking.  The  members  of  his 
household  were  of  a  motley  character,  and 
yet  those  only  could  he  employ.  Of  them, 
there  was  but  one  on  whose  desperate  spir 
it  of  enterprise,  and  perfect  fidelity,  he 
could  rely;  but  he  doubted  is  prudence, 
and  most  of  all  his  means. 

There  seemed  no  alternative.  u  Sha- 
drach,"  said  he,  calling  to  the  ne^rb,  (who 
soon  made  his  appearance,)  "  look  for  VVe- 
shop,  and  ask  him  here." 

Van  Tromp  resumed  his  meditations,  and 
tried  and  rejected  a  thousand  contrivances 
for  his  friend's  escape,  when  the  door  again 
opened,  and  an  Indian  warrior  made  his  ap 
pearance.  His  hair  was  cut  close,  except 
a  tuft  of  jetty  black,  which  stood  upright 
on  the  top  of  his  head;  the  skin  of  a  rattle 
snake  was  twisted  round  his  neck;  his  feet 
were  guarded  with  mocassins,  ornamented 
with  beads,  and  a  wampum  belt  was  over 
his  shoulders.  He  wore  round  his  waist 
the  Indian  cincture,  and  had  his  bow  in  his 


!24  FORT   BRADDOCK 

hand  and  his  tomahawk  in  his  girdle.  He 
was  what  they  termed  a  friendly  Indian,  and 
lived  occasionally  in  this  family,  not  as  a  do 
mestic,  much  less  a  slave,  for  to  a  state  of 
servitude,  it  is  doubtful  whether  a  genuine 
North  American  Indian  was  ever  reduced, 
or  is  indeed  capable  of  being  reduced.  The 
motions  of  this  being  were  more  free  than 
those  of  the  master  of  the  mansion.  He 
went  and  came  at  any  hour,  and  consulted 
his  own  wishes  as  to  the  frequency  of  his 
visits  or  the  length  of  his  absence.  He  had 
been  rescued  from  his  enemies  on  one  oc 
casion  by  Mr.  Van  Tromp  and  the  men  of 
his  plantation,  and  ever  afterwards  display 
ed  in  its  full  force,  the  principle  of  Indian 
gratitude.  His  fixed  features  seldom  be 
trayed  the  working  of  his  passions,  or  any 
vicissitudes  of  feeling.  Upon  this  occasion- 
he  continued  standing,  because  it  suited  his 
convenience,  and  listened  with  his  charac 
teristic  silence  and  indifference  to  the  na 
ture  of  his  commission. 

Van  Tromp  wrote  some  letters  to  gentle 
men  of  influence,  requesting  their  interfer 
ence  in  postponing  a  trial,  till  every  means 
could  be  used  of  discovering  the  truth,  and 
assured  his  friend  that  he  would  soon  come 
to  his  assistance.  The  Indian  took  time 
thoroughly  to  comprehend  his  employment. 

Whether  he  there  devised  any  better 
plan  than  the  one  proposed,  is  not  certain ; 


LETTERS.  25 

but  it  is  certain  he  never  delivered  the  let 
ters,  not  even  the  one  for  Du  Quesne.  A 
stranger  might  even  think  loud  in  We.shop's 
presence,  without  the  least  danger  that  his 
confidence  would  be  betrayed  ;  and  might 
talk  to  him  a  week,  without  obtaining  an 
exchange  of  privacy.  Ttns  trait  was  not 
peculiar  to  him ;  the  red  man  never  whis 
tles  and  sings  in  the  wood  ;  his  steps  are 
noiseless,  and  his  presence  unexpected — in 
deed,  to  the  iirst  settlers  of  the  country,  a- 
larming. 

The  messenger  now  made  immediate 
preparation  for  his  journey.  He  had  just 
eaten,  yet  he  set  himself  to  despatch  anoth 
er  enormous  meal,  to  which  he  was  urged, 
not  by  appetite,  but  by  calculation,  and 
loading  himself  with  provisions,  departed  so 
sluggish  and  dull,  that  he  seemed  little  like 
ly  to  reach  the  end  of  his  journey,  much 
less  to  return.  No  one  questioned  him,  and 
no  one  missed  him. 

What  were  his  adventures  through  the 
wilderness  were  never  known  :  .  and  his 
route  was  conjectured,  only  from  his  subse 
quent  conduct.  It  was  about  twelve  days 
afterwards  he  presented  himself  suddenly 
in  one  of  the  streets  of  New  Amsterdam, 
near  the  Government  House,  just  before 
the  hour  when  a  meeting  was  to  be  held  of 
the  governor  and  his  council.  His  entrance 
into  town  had  not  been  observed  ;  and  he 
3 


26  FORT    BRADDOCK 

had  the  advantage  of  claiming  to  have  come 
from  any  quarter  or  any  tribe.  The  Indi 
ans,  partly  civilized,  who  lived  in  the  neigh- 
horhood,  were  seen  daily  ;  but  a  genuine 
inhabitant  of  the  wilderness  is  always,  in 
a  populous  place,  an  interesting  spectacle, 
particularly  (as  upon  this  occasion)  to  the 
boys  and  rabble. 

Weshop  stood  with  his  bow  in  his  hand, 
and  his  bundle  of  arrows  at  his  back  stowed 
in  a  long  basket  or  quiver  made  of  splinters  ; 
his  face  gave  no  expression  of  wonder  or 
curiosity.  Hundreds  were  gazing  at  him  as 
he  leaned  against  the  railing  that  led  to  the 
door,  and  were  surprised  that  he  took  no 
notice  of  the  spectacle  which  to  him,  must 
he  so  new.  He  preserved  his  impenetrable 
stupidity,  and  was  the  only  one  of  the  mul- 
*  titude,  who  appeared  indifferent,  even  at 
the  idle  gaze  of  which  he  was  the  object. 
They  tempted  him  to  show  his  skill  with 
his  bow,  but  an  owl  in  the  day  time  could 
not  be  duller  at  taking  a  hint.  The  council 
at  length  convened — the  governor  made  his 
appearance,  and  was  followed  by  Weshop 
into  the  house.  He  knew  the  governor  by 
the  respect  that  was  shown  him  as  he  pas 
sed.  The  door-keeper  would  have  stopped 
the  intruder,  but  it.  happened  that  the  sub 
ject  of  the  present  meeting  involved  some 
Indian  difficulties ;  and  the  governor's 
Dutch  fancy  had  already  converted  Weshop 


LETTERS.  27 

into  an  Indian  ambassador,  the  rather  on 
account  of  his  silence  and  gravity,  which 
the  whole  Dutch  council  greatly  admired. 
The  governor  took  some  credit  to  himself 
for  the  discrimination  with  which  he  could 
detect  the  diplomatic  character.  The  wa 
ry  Indian  made  a  few  signs,  which  the 
council,  after  the  governor's  hint,  could  at 
once  interpret,  and  which  they  agreed  were 
fully  as  intelligible  as  any  language  that  a 
foreign  ambassador  should  venture  to  use. 
They  complimented  the  natural  sagacity  of 
the  Indian  character,  which  had  directed 
them  to  choose  an  envoy,  not  likely  to  com 
mit  himself  by  talking,  or  betray  himself  by 
passion.  The  secretary  of  the  council,  who 
was  a  learned  man,  took  occasion  to  remark, 
that  in  regard  to  tho  establishment  of  a 
boundary  with  the  Indians,  it  would  proba 
bly  end  in  a  question  between  the  status  an 
te  bellum  and  the  usi  possidetus.  Enough 
seemed  done  for  the  first  interview.  We- 
shop  was  recommended  to  the  gaoler,  not 
as  a  prisoner,  but  as  a  guest ;  for  none  of 
the  council  thought  of  inviting  his  sans  cu- 
lotte  excellency  to  dinner  ;  and  there  was 
no  eating  house  at  the  public  expense,  but 
the  gaol.  It  is  hardly  proper  to  say,  that 
the  deportment  of  Weshop  won  upon  the 
gaoler,  so  as  to  gain  his  confidence,  but  it 
certainly  checked  every  hint  at  precaution. 
He  was  accommodated  in  the  chimne^-cor- 


FORT    BRADDOCK 

ner,  where  he  eat  by  himself,  and  smoked 
;i  Dutch  pipe  that  the  governor  had  given 
him.  He  went  out  but  once  or  twice  dur 
ing  the  afternoon,  and  wandered  then  no 
farther  than  the  gaol  door,  where  he  stood 
smoking  when  the  gaoler  locked  up  the 
rooms,  after  furnishing  the  prisoners  with 
their  evening  meal.  The  gaoler  and  his 
family  were  in  the  habit  of  retiring  early. 
They  gave  Weshop  a  blanket,  and  left  him 
in  the  kitchen  to  repose  before  the  fire. 


LETTER  IV. 

Du  Quesne  was  awakened  in  the  night, 
by  the  slow  and  careful  unlocking,  and  o- 
pening  of  the  door  of  his  dungeon  ;  and  in 
the  light  of  the  setting  moon,  which  shone 
through  the  grates,  an  Indian  stood  before 
him,  with  his  bow  in  his  hand,  and  toma 
hawk  in  his  girdle.  He  had  been  dream 
ing  of  being  executed,  and  his  first  waking 
thought  was,  that  he  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  a  new  tormentor  of  another  world. 

He  was  on  the  point  of  crying  out,  when 
the  Indian  shook  him  by  the  shoulder,  and 
pointed  to  the  door.  He  was  wide  awake 
in  an  instant.  There  was  a  sense  of  honor, 
which  urged  him  to  await  a  public  vindica 
tion  of  his  innocence — but  the  conviction 
that  his  own  honesty  would  be  no  security 


LETTERS.  29 

against  the  attempts  of  his  enemies,  and  the 
slrong  circumstances  against  him,  decided 
his  resolution.  He  arose  and  followed  his 
deliverer.  The  moon  had  gone  down  ;  the 
night  was  dark,  and  the  streets  were  quiet. 
Alter  they  had  gained  a  little  distance  from 
the  prison,  the  Indian  directed  him  to  stand 
by  the  side  of  a  building  while  he  went 
himself,  as  it  afterwards  appeared,  to  drop 
the  gaol  keys  in  a  direction  different  from 
their  route,  and  to  set  afloat  on  the  East 
River,  one  of  the  small  boats  which  as  the 
tide  was  coming  in  would  float  towards  the 
Narrows  and  mislead  pursuit.  He  then  re 
turned  and  led  the  way  up  the  Island  in  si 
lence,  at  a  rate  so  rapid,  that  elate  with  lib 
erty  and  buoyant  with  hope,  as  Du  Quesne 
was*,  he  could  hardly  keep  pace  with  him. 
The  Indian  travelled  with  the  certainty  of 
a  man  familiar  with  every  street  and  turn, 
till  he  arrived  at  a  marshy  piece  of  ground 
on  the  North  River,  at  some  distance  from 
the  city,  where  a  bark  canoe  lay  floating 
among  the  rushes.  The  wind  was  strong 
from  the  south,  but  though  it  was  fair  for 
their  purpose,  the  size  and  frailty  of  the 
boat,  with  what  he  knew  of  the  danger  of 
ihe.  navigation,  would  have  made  him  hesi 
tate  had  there  been  any  alternative.  He 
was  directed  to  lay  himself  down  in  the 
boat,  while  the  Indian  pushed  it  from  the 
shore,  and  raised  a  small  pine  mast  ou 
3* 


30  FORT  BRADDOCK 

which  was  spread  a  blanket  in  the  form  of 
a  sail.  He  put  his  skiff  hefore  the  wind 
and  urged  its  motion  with  a  rude  oar  or 
paddle,  with  which  at  the  same  time,  he  di 
rected  its  course.  The  waters  were  very 
rough,  and  though  his  pilot  was  evidently 
a  bold  one.  the  job  in  hand  required  skill  as 
well  as  courage.  The  motion  of  the  boat 
through  the  water,  was  so  varying,  as  to 
furnish  no  means  of  judging  what  progress 
they  made.  He  was  not  insensible  of  his 
danger,  but  more  sensible  to  the  joy  of  his 
recent  escape.  Morning  discovered  them 
in  that  part  of  the  river,  which  forms  the 
entrance  into  Tappan  Sound.-— The  shores 
were  covered  with  wood  to  the  very  edge, 
and  the  land  on  either  side  rose  into  the 
mountains,  which  grew  dim  in  distance  till 
they  mingled  with  the  clouds.  Accustomed 
as  Du  Quesne  had  been  for  weeks,  to  no 
other  prospect  than  what  was  to  be  seen 
through  the  loop-holes  of  his  dungeon,  so 
many  natural  beauties  gradually  displayed 
by  the  rising  sun,  till  they  were  shown  in 
perfection,  filled  him  with  joy.  He  wor 
shipped  in  silence  and  with  thanksgiving; 
and  the  thoughtful  look  of  his  new  friend 
seemed  to  pronounce  an  impressive  amen. 

This  noble  river  for  a  great  part  of  its 
length,  discovered  at  that  time,  no  appear 
ance  of  art  or  improvement,  except  that 
now  and  then  a  heavy  built  Dutch  vessel. 


LETTERS.  31 

moved  along  slowly  on  its  surface,  keeping 
up  the  only  intercourse  between  the  few 
scarce  settlements  on  the  banks.  Still  the 
features  of  the  scenery  were  interesting  and 
grand.  The  savage  put  into  a  solitary  bay, 
where  his  canoe  was  concealed  by  the  jut 
ting  rock,  but  where  without  being  perceiv 
ed,  he  could  observe  for  some  distance  up 
and  down  the  river.  It  was  impossible  for 
Du  Quesne  to  conjecture  the  motives  which 
should  be  so  powerful  with  his  deliverer,  as 
to  induce  all  this  labor,  nor  could  he  well 
imagine  whither  he  was  going,  or  where 
his  journey  was  like  to  end.  The  Indian 
seemed  to  understand  the  turn  of  his 
thoughts,  and  quickly  produced  a  scrap  of 
paper,  on  which  was  written  in  his  proper 
hand  the  name  ot  Derick  Van  Tramp.  This 
satisfied  his  anxious  inquiries,  and  he  saw 
at  once,  not  merely  the  name,  but  the  con 
duct  of  a  friend.  His  guide  began  smoking 
his  pipe  ;  they  spent  the  whole  day  with 
out  food  or  sleep,  watching  every  movement 
on  the  river,  till  the  evening  returned, 
when  they  again  set  forward.  Their  pro 
gress  was  now  more  slow  and  laborious,  for 
want  of  a  favorable  wind.  The  Indian  was 
anxious  to  arrive  at  a  particular  point,  for 
a  reason  that  appeared  when  they  reached 
it.  This  was  one  of  several  places,  where 
on  his  way  down  the  river  he  had  deposit 
ed  a  part  of  his  load  of  provision  ;  and  this 


32  FORT    BRADDOCK 

unlocked  for  repast  was  the  more  grateful 
to  Du  Quesne,  from  the  long  fast  to  which 
he  had  not  been  used.  It  was  thus  that  they 
continued  their  voyage  till  they  came  to  a 
part  of  the  river,  near  Sandy  Hill,  from 
which  they  were  to  proceed  by  land.  Here, 
at  one  of  his  depots,  Weshop  rested  a  day 
and  a  night;  as  preparatory  to  the  fatigues 
that  remained.  On  the  morning  of  the  sec 
ond  day  they  abandoned  the  canoe,  and  set 
through  the  woods.  The  activity  and  vig 
ilance  ot  the  guide,  were  now  constant ;  he 
examined  the  ground  for  what  he  called  the 
signs  to  detect  footsteps  in  the  grass  altered 
his  course  at  the  slightest  noise,  and  every 
now  and  then  examined  the  bark  of  trees, 
which  seemed  to  serve  him  for  a  compass. 
The  Indian  is  artful  and  patient  when  he 
lays  in  wait,  and  cautious  and  observing 
when  he  fears  an  ambush.  Weshop  obtain 
ed  from  a  friendly  Indian,  seasonable  intel 
ligence  that  those  tribes  under  the  influence 
of  the  French,  and  the  French  themselves, 
had  already  begun  their  attack  on  the  front 
ier  ;  and  he  knew  that  an  Indian  war  to 
those  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  it,  is  a 
state  of  constant  exposure  to  the  greatest 
perils  and  sufferings  without  a  single  mo 
ment  of  security.  The  war  cry  is  usually 
unexpected  ;  and  fire,  murder  and  robbery, 
steal  without  warning  upon  their  victim. — 
Weshop  directed  his  course  to  the  south 


LETTERS.  33 

Bay  of  Lake  George,  where  they  at  length 
arrived.  A  canoe  was  in  readiness  as  be 
fore,  and  the  two  travellers  after  many 
hardships  reached  a  point  on  the  western 
shore  of  Lake  Champlain,  then  known  by 
the  name  of  SunkettypaMg.  During  this 
long  journey,  they  had  given  one  another 
some  occasional  uneasiness,  without  intend 
ing  it ;  owing  to  the  strong  contrast  of  their 
characters.  One  had.  been  educated  to 
speak,  the  other  to  be  silent ;  one  was  made 
for  display,  the  other  for  concealment. 

One  bright  November  morning,  when  our 
travellers  were  pursuing  their  way  among 
the  highlands  west  of  Champlain,  which 
seem  in  some  degree  to  connect  the  Green 
Mountains  In  Vermont  with  the  northern 
part  of  the  first  range  of  the  Alleghanies, 
they  arrived  at  a  high  opening  between  the 
mountains,  which  goes  by  the  name  of  the 
Wind  Gap.  The  prospect  to  the  north  was 
commanding,  and  rich  with  various  colors — 
the  uniform  green  of  the  pine  and  hemlock, 
mixed  with  the  blood  red  of  the  maple,  and 
the  yellow  of  the  birch,  to  which  the  frost 
had  changed  their  natural  hue.  They 
both  paused  at  the  same  time.  One  seem 
ed  admiring  the  beauty  of  the  landscape, 
which  blended  the  distance  with  the  rich 
tints  of  the  sky,  whose  gold  and  red  and 
purple  it  seemed  to  vie  with,  or  rather  to 
reflect,  as  the  moon  and  the  inv^ed  trees 


34  VORT  BRADDOCK 

are  seen  in  a  sheet  of  water.  The  other 
gazed  anxiously  in  one  direction,  till  a 
slight  but  unusual  joy  gladdened  his  features. 
He  pointed  the  way  he  was  looking,  and 
asked  "  do  you  see  that  smoke  ?"  It  was 
sometime  before  his  companion,  assisted  by 
his  guide,  could  answer  u  yes."  u  There," 
replied  he,  "  our  journey  ends.  I  have 
prayed  the  Great  Spirit  for  many  days,  that 
when  I  should  corne>  to  this  spot,  I  might 
see  a  smoke  and  not  a  blaze." 

It  was  near  sun-down  when  they  arrived 
at  the  residence  of  Van  Tromp,  which 
seemed  for  the  time  to  be  the  rendezvous 
of  the  surrounding  country.  Every  thing 
betokened  confusion  and  sudden  alarm. — 
The  first  object  that  caught  attention,  was 
the  numerous  group  of  men,  women,  and 
children,  of  all  colors,  of  many  nations, 
dressed  in  every  variety  of  garb  and  fash 
ion  :  Indians,  negroes,  and  whites,  speaking 
as  many  tongues  as  are  taught  in  a  German 
university.  Their  horses  and  cattle  had 
been  driven  to  this  place  for  safety;  and 
they  had  brought  such  moveahles  as  they 
could  manage  to  transport.  They  seemed 
to  have  been  newly  assembled,  and  were 
variously  employed  ;  some  in  cooking  their 
evening  meal — some  in  fixing  their  fire 
arms — some  in  tending  cattle,  and  some  in 
building  additional  barracks  and  huts  for 
their  present  accommodation.  They  were 


LETTERS.  35 

generally  cheerful  and  seemed  glad  to  have 
reached  a  place  of  comparative  security. — 
For  this  purpose  the  place  itself  seemed 
well  selected.  It  was  elevated,  and  ot  a 
triangular  form  ;  one  side  made  by  the 
right  bank  of  the  Chazy,  another  by  a  steep 
and  continued  ledge  which  commanded  the 
valley  or  bottom  land  to  a  great  distance, 
and  the  remaining  side  defended  artificially 
by  a  high  breast  work,  flanked  with  basti 
on*,  and  protected  in  fiont  b}'  a  ditch  faced 
with  rude  abbatis. — Within,  were  several 
low  buildings,  made  of  logs  and  stone,  in 
separate  square  blocks,  and  sometimes  con 
nected  by  a  continual  roof.  Most  of  the 
rooms  were  tight  and  comfortable,  and  some 
of  them  were  decently  furnished.  There 
were  several  rows  of  barracks  in  the  fort, 
and  others  on  the  outside,  near  the  foot  of 
the  walls,  which  answered  only  a  present 
purpose,  and  were  to  be  left  in  case  of  in 
vasion.  The  garrison  was  composed  of 
men  well  armed,  and  whose  habits  of  life 
rendered  them  the  best  marksmen  in  the 
world. 


LETTER  v. 

Through  the  assemblage  of  armed  men 
at  the  garrison,  VVeshop  held  his  way  with 
out  stopping  to  make  enquiries  ;  he  went 


36  FORT    BRADDOCK 

directly  to  Van  Tromp's  room,  and  found 
him  alone.  With  a  motion  of  the  hand 
which  native  feeling  rendered  graceful,  he 
introduced  to  one  another  these  long  sepa 
rated  friends,  who  fairly  rushed  into  each 
other's  arms,  and  shed  tears  of  joy  at  so  un 
expected  a  meeting.  Du  Quesne,  who  felt 
at  the  moment  happier,  perhaps  than  he 
had  ever  been  before,  pointed  in  silence  to 
the  Indian  as  his  deliverer  ;  and  Van  Tromp 
was  astonished  at  the  success  of  the  achieve 
ment,  and  additionally  grateful  on  this  emer 
gency,  because  he  should  have  the  assist 
ance  of  his  friend.  He  clasped  the  hand  of 
Weshop  strongly,  and  looking  full  upon  his 
quiet  features,  while  his  own  were  agitated 
with  different  emotion,  spoke  to  him  a  few 
words  in  Indian,  to  which  Weshop  replied, 
for  he  loved  to  hear  the  sound  of  his  native 
tongue,  particularly  from  Van  Tromp. 

The  Patroon,  for  so  was  Van  Tromp 
commonly  called,  relaxed  his  grasp,  and 
left  the  Indian  to  supply  Ms  wants,  and  his 
pleasure  :  adding  only,  kt  You  will  not  go  !" 
"  No,"  said  the  warrior,  "  not  now,  per 
haps  never."  The  two  friends  left  to  them 
selves,  commenced  that  sort  of  conversa 
tion  which  was  natural  on  the  occasion,  in 
the  course  of  which  they  explained,  each 
to  the  other,  whatever  was  the  subject  of 
mutual  inquiry,  till  Du  Quesne  declared  that 
it  was  the  first  undisturbed  moment  that  he 


LETTERS.  37 

had  enjoyed  for  a  long  lime  before,  he 
would  retire.  "  What  a  luxury,"  said  he, 
"  once  more  to  sleep" in  safety  after  all  my 
troubles." 

u  But  you  will  wait  for  the  evening  ser 
vice,"  said  the  Patroon,  "  the  drum  heats 
in  a  few  moments."  "  What  do  you  mus 
ter  your  men  for  exercise  ?"-— "  No — our 
people  shoot  best  without  a  manual,  but  we 
meet  men,  women  and  children  when  the 
drum  beats  for  prayers."  "  What,  and  the 
Indians  too  ?" — "  I  should  think  they  would 
be  disorderly."  "  They  are  full  as  quiet  as 
the  rest.  We  have  with  us  a  young  clergy 
man,  by  the  name  of  Ell'ot,  from  Massachu 
setts,  who  performs  part  of  his  service  in 
their  language;  and  there  is  no  doubt  they 
are  benefitted  by  his  instruction.  They  on 
ly  require  attention." 

"  The  Indians,"  said  Du  Quesne,  "  seem 
a  mysterious  people,  about  whom  little  can 
be  known,  though  they  swarm  about  us  in 
such  numbers.  They  are  savage,  blood 
thirsty  and  implacable.  I  don't  think  they 
can  ever  be  civilized."  "  What  think  you 
of  that  specimen  which  came  to  you  in  pris 
on?"  said  Van  Tromp.  "Ah!  that  indeed 
— think  of  him  ?  he  is  a  wonder  any  where 
— I  owe  him  my  life.  That  man  could  re 
deem  his  tribe  if  they  were  all  murderers." 
"  He  has  been  cultivated  some,"  said  Van 
Tromp,  "but  you  may  one  day  see  him  use 
4 


38  FORT   BRADDOCK 

his  tomahawk,  and  bow,  and  not  wait  your 
bidding,  or  ask  your  advice  ;  and  use  the 
rifle  too,  with  as  little  remorse  as  any  of  his 
countrymen.  One  reason  why  so  little  has 
ever  been  known  about  the  Indians,  is,  that 
they  will  not  communicate.  They  have  a 
religion  it  is  certain  ;  and  I  suspect  they  ob 
serve  their  articles  of  faith,  though  they 
seldom  tell  what  they  are,  not  for  want  of 
language,  for  if  you  understand  their  lan 
guage,  you  v/ill  find  it  sufficiently  copious  ; 
and  if  you  listen  to  their  conversation,  you 
will  be  convinced  that  the  sounds  are  softer 
than  those  ot  any  other  tongue  that  is  spok 
en.  When  the  English  undertake  to  write 
them  in  words,  they  fairly  exhaust  their  liq 
uids  and  vowels,  and  the  reader  who  is  ac 
quainted  with  the  spoken  language  is  as 
much  at  loss  to  utter  it  as  if  he  stood  at  a 
desk  of  printer's  types  :  I  have  heard  a  bet 
ter  speech  from  an  Indian  chief,  than  that 
Greek  oration  of  Dudley's  Peri  ton  Indianon, 
but  I  forget  my  Greek,  and  I  could  not  think 
of  the  word  for  civilized,  if  it  was  to  civilize 
the  whole  tribe.  Hark,  the  drum  beats, 
you  will  know  more  of  these  in  time.  Let 
us  go." 

The  religious  service  of  the  evening  was 
performed,  and  the  friends  retired,  Du  Ques- 
ne  to  a  repose,  which  after  his  fatigue,  was 
as  sweet  as  the  sleep  of  infancy,  and  Van 
Tromp  to  visit  his  new  inmates  and  to  go 


LETTERS.  39 

the  rounds  of  his  duty — after  which  at  the 
winding  of  a  horn  the  garrison  was  silent. 

Meanwhile  VVeshop,  after  eating  and 
drinking  among  the  people  and  learning  the 
particulars  of  the  gathering,  was  retiring  to 
the  kitchen  where  he  meant  to  spend  the 
night.  One  Jonathan  Hodges,  a  Yankee 
man,  had  taken  up  his  quarters  with  Shad- 
rach,  and  the  black  was  just  saying  to  him, 
"  I  wonder  what's  become  of  our  runaway 
Indian,"  as  the  door  opened.  "  Ah  here  he 
comes,"  continued  the  speaker,  "glad  to 
see  you  old  friend,  help  yourself,"  as  Wes^ 
hop  unasked  was  taking  up  their  mug  of  ci 
der,  the  remains  of  which  he  drank  without 
stopping  for  breath. 

"  Well  Weshop,"  said  Jonathan,  "  what's 
the  news;  you  must  have  been  somewhere, 
by  the  strange  gentlemen  I  saw  tagging  at 
your  heels — who  was  he  Weshop,  I  say 
WTeshop  who  was  he  ?"  u  Why  dont  you 
tell  him  dumbhead,"  said  the  black,  (can't 
get  nothing  out  of  him)  or  here  help  clear 
away  these  things,  never  was  so  poor  a  tool 
in  the  house  as  an  Indian." 

u  Come  bearskin,"  said  Jonathan,  "  clear 
your  calm  with  some  more  cider  and  give 
us  the  news.  Did  you  see  any  thing  of  my 
brindled  cow  that  I  lost  last  June  ?  1  always 
thought  Jim  Staines  shot  that  cow  for  a 
grudge  he  owed  me,  or  I  owed  him." 


40  FORT   BRADDOCK 

"  My  name  an't  benrskin,  it's  Weshop  ;  1 
have'nt  seen  your  cow."  "  Nobody  cares 
for  your  name,"  was  the  reply — "  Blueskin, 
redbird,  yellowlegs ;  any  thing  is  name  e- 
nough  for  an  Indian" — the  name  of  an  In 
dian,  and  he  muttered  it  very  much  as  Dr. 
does  the  form  of  a  hat!" 

Weshop  motioned  towards  ao  unfinished 
hoe  handle  which  stood  in  the  corner. 

"  What  going  to  strike  !"  said  Jonathan, 
"  they  talk  about  civilizing  the  Indians  ! — 
bless  my  soul — I'd  rather  tame  that  wild 
cat  I  shot  night  before  last."  "One  thing 
I'll  say  for  Weshop,"  said  the  black,  "  he 
an't  a  talking  man."  "  No,"  said  Jonathan, 
"but  to  hear  'em  yell  in  the  woods,  as  I 
have  done,  a  body  would  think  they  could 
talk.  There  is  an  oddity  among  people  of 
different  colors."  "  Talk  to  Shadrach  a- 
bout  colors,"  said  the  Indian.  "  Different 
colors  are  nothing,"  said  the  black.  "  O 
no — it's  owing  to  heat  and  cold,  and  shade 
and  the  sun,  and  moon  and  seven  stars  ;  but 
there  is  a  difference  among  nations,"  said 
Jonathan,  "  though,  by  the  way,  I  was  nev 
er  out  of  this."  "  Pray  Jonathan,"  said 
Shadrach,  u  how  many  nations  are  there  ?" 
"  Ten  thousand  ;  but  what  is  that  to  you? 
brush  your  master's  boots,  and  have  the 
guns  in  order  for  the  hunting  that  is  to  be 
on  Thursday  ;  but  put  out  the  candle  now — 
don't  you  hear  the  horn  blowing  for  nine 


LETTERS.  41 

o'clock  ?  VVeshop  has  turned  in  I  see,  and 
I'll  follow  his  example."  So  saying  Jona 
than  walked  towards  his  bunk  on  one  side 
of  the  kitchen,  muttering  something  about 
Shadrach,  Mesheck,  and  Abednego. 

All  was  still,  when  Weshop,  who  awoke 
at  the  slightest  noise,  heard  the  howling  of 
a  dog  at  the  door.  u  Get  up  Shadrach  and 
let  in  Dash."  The  negro  delayed  some 
time  till  the  loudness  of  the  dog's  cries  urg 
ed  him  to  open  the  door.  tk  Lay  down, 
Dash,"  said  he  as  the  dog  bounced  into  the 
room  ;  but  he  was  not  to  be  quieted.  He 
overturned  stools  and  benches,  howled,  re 
turned  to  the  door  and  then  back,  till  the 
astonished  negro  exclaimed,  "  the  dog  is 
mad."  "  Something  is  the  matter,"  said 
the  Indian,  "  where  is  your  master  ?"  Sha 
drach  lighted  a  candle,  and  the  Indian 
springing  on  his  feet,  opened  an  inner  door, 
and  followed  by  the  dog,  went  directly  to 
the  bed  room  of  Van  Tromp.  It  was  emp 
ty,  and  the  bed  had  not  been  occupied  dur 
ing  the  night.  He  roused  Du  Que^ne,  and 
told  his  conjectures.  The  newly  arrived 
guest,  with  the  advice  of  his  late  guide,  led 
the  way,  and  kept  close  to  the  dog,  set  out 
upon  a  search,  without  disturbing  the  gar 
rison  :  attended  by  Shadrach  and  Jonathan. 

A  few  who  had  been  detailed  for  the  du 
ty  of  a  night  watch,  waited  to  prepare  lan 
terns  and  horses,  and  soon  overtook  the  par- 
4* 


42  POUT    B HADDOCK 

ty  in  advance,  but  as  they  found  themselves 
at  a  loss  in  the  dark,  it  was  agreed  to  tuke 
the  dog  for  a  guide.  Weshop  fastened  a 
string1  to  his  collar,  and  hastened  along  at  a 
round  trot,  as  the  horsemen  dared  to  ven 
ture. 

After  passing  through  woods  and  under 
brush,  they  came  to  something  like  a  path 
which  led  along  the  brow  of  a  steep  decliv 
ity,  whose  sides  were  covered  with  bushes, 
and  too  dark  to  be  seen.  The  turf  was 
broken  at  the  edge  of  the  bank,  and  there 
were  some  deep  prints  of  a  horse's  hoofs. 
Weshop  let  slip  the  dog,  and  followed  him 
down  the  descent ;  supporting  himself  by 
the  way  with  shrubs  and  stones.  The  re 
sult  of  the  search  was  soon  known.  Van 
Tromp's  horse  lay  dead  from  the  fall,  and 
he  was  almost  senseless.  He  was  carefully 
conveyed  to  the  garrison,  without  unneces 
sary  disturbance  ;  and  as  Jonathan  and  Sha- 
drach  were  again  betaking  themselves  to 
rest,  they  wondered  what  he  could  have 
been  doing  there  at  that  time  of  night. 

Van  Tromp  had  rode  out  of  the  garrison,' 
soon  after  sunset,  for  the  purpose,  as  those 
who  saw  him  supposed,  of  reconnoilering 
the  country.  His  departure  was  noticed 
only  by  a  few,  who  might  be  elsewhere  at 
his  return,  and  the  constant  hurrying  and 
shifting  from  place  to  place  among  the  new 
comers,  left  every  one  to  suppose,  when  the 


LETTERS.  43 

horn  blew,  that  all  -was  we//,  as  the  sentinel 
on  his  duty  declared.  A  largo  black  dog, 
was  the  only  attendant  that  followed  his 
master. 

The  manuscript,  which  is  unusually  brief 
in  this  spot,  makes  mention  of  a  family  in 
the  neighborhood,  where  an  elderly  lady 
resided,  and  a  young  lady  lived,  toq,  of  un 
common  beauty  and  accomplishments  :  and 
adds,  that  in  peaceful  times  Van  Tromp, 
for  want  of  more  edifying  company,  rode 
that  way.  How  that  may  have  been,  is 
rather  to  be  conjectured  from  the  residue 
of  the  story.  The  immediate  result  of  the 
night's  adventure  was,  that  he  was  so  bad 
ly  bruised  as  to  be  scarcely  able  to  lurn 
himself  in  bed:  and  it  was  certain  that  he 
could  not  attend  the  hunting  which  was  to 
take  place  three  days  alter. 

This  hunting,  was  not  the  common  sport 
ing  chase  after  a  fox,  or  a  tame  deer,  nor 
did  the  skill  which  it  required,  depend  on 
leaping  fences,  or  clearing  ditches.  It  was 
not  a  search  after  u  a  partridge  among  the 
mountains  ;"  provision,  until  more  quiet 
times,  was  to  be  made  for  nearly  90  souls, 
including  women  and  children;  an  extent  of 
dangerous  country  was  to  be  scoured,  em 
bracing  what  is  called  the  Iroquois  hunting 
ground,  and  the  still  rougher  tract  beyond; 
and  a  fortnight  would  be  consumed  in  the 
enterprise.  Meanwhile  the  garrison  would 


44  FORT   BRADDOCK 

bo  stript  of  its  men,  except  a  few  for  imme 
diate  service,  and  left  to  the  family  disci 
pline  of  old  and  young  women. 

"  I  shall  not  be  able  to  hunt  with  you  I)u 
Quesne,"  said  Van  Tromp,  u  and  you'll  find 
it  a  bad  job  for  a  beginner."  u  I  hope 
you'll  find  your  hurt  not  serious,"  said  he. 
"  I  shall  not  be  able  to  endure  it,"  was  the 
reply  ;  "but  after  all,  my  mind  torments  me 
the  most.  I  have  had  a  dreadful  apprehen 
sion,  Du  Quesne.  This  accident  warns  me 
that  I  must  meet  with  others,  and  for  fear  of 
what  may  happen,  must  make  you  my  con 
fident.  What  think  you  I  took  this  ride  for  ? 
I  will  tell  you. — About  five  miles  off,  at  a 
place  near  the  lake  which  the  Indians  call 
Manhaddock,  and  in  the  French  Point  au 
Fer — but  no  matter  for  the  name — is  a  fam 
ily  by  the  which,  except  servants  and  la 
borers,  consists  of  a  lady  and  a  girl  by  the 
name  of  Dubourg.  She  was  the  daughter 
of  a  French  officer,  who  commanded  a  post 
on  the  lines,  I  believe. 

He  married  somewhere  on  the  Hudson, 
and  lost  his  wife,  and  then  was  ordered  a- 
broad — but  pshaw  !  what  care  you  for  that  ?" 
"  Any  thing  that  interests  you  I  care  for," 
said  Du  Quesne.  UO!  it's  no  interest  of 
mine — that  is,  it  would  be  very  neglectful 
in  me  to  leave  such  a  family,  at  such  a  time  ; 
so  I  meant  to  have  brought  the  old  lady  and 
her  people  here.  But  Du  Quesne,"  added 


LF.TTF.RS.  45 

he,  lowering  his  voice,  "  the  house  and 
buildings  are  burnt  to  the  ground  ;  and  what 
can  have  become  of  the  girl — so  beautiful, 
I  wish  you  could  have  seen  her.  A  horrid 
suspicion  came  across  my  mind  as  I  wf  pt 
over  the  spot.  I  raked  the  allies,  not  know 
ing  but  I  might  rind  human  bones." 

V  an  Tromp  made  a  pause  of  some  mo 
ments,  which  Du  Quesne  did  not  interrupt. 
He  proceeded,  u  There  is  one  chance  ;  the 
New  England  troops  were  to  assemble  on 
the  other  side  of  the  lake  ;  nnd  it  may  be 
they  are  there  already.  If  so,  these  peo 
ple  may  have  gone  down  the  water  to  their 
protection.  But  what  I  meant  to  say — if 
any  thing  befals  me,  remember  to  find  them 
out,  and  take  care  of  them  if  living." 


LETTER   VI. 

'•  A  famous  hunting  once  there  did 
In  Cheve  Chase  befal." 

The  two  succeeding  days  were  employ 
ed  by  the  Garrison  at  the  Blasted  Tree,  in 
busy  preparations  for  their  hunting  expedi 
tion.  Provisions,  blankets,  runlets,  and 
knapsacks,  were  got  ready — several  hordes 
were  loaded,  guns  and  ammunition,  bowg. 
arrows,  axes,  &c.  were  put  in  order  with 
a  view  to  as  much  comfort,  as  was  consist- 


4t>  10KT   BRADDOCK 

ent  \vith  spending  three  nights  in  the  woods. 
They  arranged  themselves  in  three  bodies, 
which  were  to  keep  the  same  general  di 
rection,  at  no  greater  distance  from  one  a- 
nother,  if  practicable,  than  would  admit  of 
their  meeting  at  night.  Indeed,  for  the  two 
first  nights,  they  appointed  their  rendez 
vous,  and  as  they  did  so,  they  talked  of  Buf 
falo  paths,  and  prairies,  and  beaver  ponds, 
and  wolf  dens,  and  Indian  names,  which  are 
no  where  to  be  found  on  the  map. 

It  was  expressly  forbidden  to  blow  a  horn 
or  a  bugle,  except  in  case  of  imminent  dan 
ger.  Du  Quesne  and  Weshop  were  to  head 
one  party  ;  Jonathan  and  Shadrach  anoth 
er  ;  and  the  third  was  to  be  directed  by 
some  of  their  sturdy  neighbors.  Thus  e- 
quipped,  our  adventurers  sallied  forth  at 
day  break,  on  their  perilous  and  fatiguing 
duty. 

The  incidents  of  this  hunt  made  a  lasting 
impression  on  the  memories  of  all  who  sur 
vived  it;  and  Shadrach,  in  alter  days, 
charmed  many  a  breathless  listener,  as  he 
smoked  his  pipe  in  the  chimney  corner,  and 
told  this  hunting  story.  The  manuscript  is 
less  minute.  It  seems  that  the  game  was 
abundant,  consisting  principally  of  moose 
and  common  deer,  the  bear  and  buffalo — • 
sometimes  the  wolf  or  the  wild  cut  would 
fall  in  the  way  of  the  hunters. 


LETTERS.  47 

During  (his  lime,  the  parties  sometimes 
met,  and  were  sometimes  separated.  We- 
shop  and  Du  Quesne  were  apart  from  the 
rest,  but  kept  near  one  another,  from  a 
sense  of  duty  on  the  part  of  Du  Quesne  ; 
who  missed  his  way  when  he  missed  his 
guide,  and  was  in  constant  danger  of  losing 
himself  in  the  woods. 

The  attention  of  YVeshop  was  suddenly 
arrested  by  the  actions  of  a  small  spaniel 
dog,  that  kept  at  his  heels — and  then  by  a 
slight  rustling  noise  in  the  thicket.  He 
made  a  sign  to  Du  Q,uesne  not  to  stir,  and 
crept  softly  among  the  bushes,  where  he 
saw  several  of  the  hostile  Indians,  and  had 
convincing  proof  that  there  were  many  of 
them  in  the  neighborhood. 

He  perceived  the  nature  of  his  danger, 
and  guessed  the  extent  of  it.  Without  be 
ing  discovered,  he  made  good  his  retreat  to 
Du  Quesne,  and  with  his  tinger  on  his  lip, 
led  his  noiseless  way  to  a  place  where  the 
heavy  timbered  upland  joins  the  edge  of  a 
large  natural  meadow,  that  extended  far 
ther  than  the  eye  could  reach  ;  and  was 
covered  with  a  coarse  jointed  grass,  which 
grew  thick,  and  in  most  places,  taller  than 
a  man's  head.  Weshop  explained  the  dan 
ger,  and  said  they  must  take  means  to  noti 
fy  and  assemble  their  party,  and  instantly 
retreat  for  the  garrison. 


48  FORT   ERADDOCK          , 

"  But  tell  them,"  added  he,  "  to  avoid 
the  direct  course,  for  between  the  Lion's 
Tail  (which  was  the  name  given  to  the  ex 
tremity  of  a  long-  ridge  of  hills)  and  the 
beaver  ponds,  that  pass  will  be  guarded. — 
I  would  rather  risk  the  run  than  the  am 
bush." 

It  is  proper  to  observe,  that  when  a  par 
ty  of  the  settlers  and  a  party  of  the  Indians 
discovered  each  other  in  the  woods,  the 
weaiier  was  pursued  by  the  stronger  with 
out  any  hope  of  mercy,  if  they  were  over 
taken,  and  with  little  chance  that  the  pur 
suers  would  relinquish  their  object  until  the 
flying  enemy  should  gain  a  place  of  safety. 
Day  after  day,  sometimes,  would  the  fear 
ful  march  be  kept  up,  usually  in  Indian  file, 
from  ihe  difficulty  of  the  way,  and  the  nec 
essary  caution  of  leaving  as  few  signs  as 
possible,  by  which  the  pursuers  could  dis 
cover  their  course.  This  was  termed  run 
ning  the  Indians,  or  being  run  by  the  Indians, 
depen-ling,  as  a  lawyer  would  say,  on  who 
was  the  party  plaintiff,  and  who  was  the 
party  defendant. 

Our  two  wary  hunters  moved  with  ex 
treme  caution  through  the  high  grass,  lest 
the  waving  motion  of  the  top  should  detect 
them,  as  with  all  their  caution,  it  probably 
did.  It  was  not  till  they  had  come  to  the 
buffalo  path,  that  Weshop  directed  his 
fnerul  to  blow  his  bugle,  and  himself  set  up 


LETTERS.  49 

the  Indian  cry  of  alarm,  which  he  continued 
as  he  went,  to  give  a  direction  he  was  t. ik 
ing-.  The  hunters  began  to  fall  in  from  dif 
ferent  quarters,  and  the  horns  and  bugles 
were  heard  in  several  directions.  It  was 
determined  that  they  should  attempt  their 
flight  in  their  three  divisions,  and  by  differ 
ent  routes,  so  as  to-  divide,  and  perhaps  con 
fuse  their  pursuers.  Du  Quesne  and  his 
party  were  under  the  guidance  of  Weshop, 
who  set  off  again  at  a  brisk  trot  for  the  head 
of  the  lake.  "Quirk,  quick,"  said  the  In 
dian,  "the  woods  will  he  soon  on  fire,  and 
this  day  the  grass  will  flash  like  gunpowder. 
See  the  smoke  there  and  there  ;  we  must 
get  out  of  the  grass;  don't  wail  for  it  to 
kindle."  He  kept  near  the  eastern  border, 
that  he  might  have  it  in  his  power  to  es 
cape  being  burnt  alive  ;  but  all  his  sp-jed 
and  caution  were  nearly  in  vain.  The  fire 
was  now  seen  darting  its  streams  to  the  top 
of  the  pines  arid  hemlock,  and  leaping  with 
the  activity  that  belongs  to  the  element, 
from  one  dry  tree  to  another,  till  the  woods 
were  in  a  blaze — seizing  the  tallest  trees 
that  crowned  the  headlands,  and  breaking 
them,  as  if  by  manual  force.  It  caught  the 
grass  in  several  places  at  once.  Without 
stopping  to  consume  the  fuel  before  them, 
the  long  pointed  flames  darted  and  kindled 
as  they  touched.  The  wind  rose  with  the 
fire,  and  the  wild  animals  who  seek  in 
5 


50  tORT    BftADDOCK 

these  spots  their  food  and  shelter,  were 
seen  and  heard  with  cries  and  bellowings, 
to  fly  before  it. 

It  often  happens,  that  the  deer  are  over 
taken  at  full  speed,  and  consumed  by  the 
flames  before  they  reach  the  upland,  while 
the  waves  of  this  fiery  deluge  pass  over 
them. 

The  hunting  party  had  already  turned  to 
the  east,  short  of  reaching  the  place  of 
their  destination  ;  and  had  scarcely  gained 
a  dry  ridge,  when  the  whole  plain  was  one 
continued  sea  of  fire.  A  strong  current  of 
air  was  raised  by  the  heat,  which  occasion 
ed  a  roar  much  resembling  heavy  thunder. 
The  senses  of  Du  Qucsne  were  confounded. 
He  dared  hardly  turn  his  eyes  to  this  dread 
ful  conflagration,  which  threatened  to  con 
sume  the  spot  on  which  he  stood.  He  trod 
close  on  the  steps  of  Weshop,  who  was  now- 
certain  that  the  hostile  Indians  were  on  his 
track,  and  whoso  only  hope  rested  on  gain 
ing  the  lake.  Every  nerve  was  strained  ; 
partly  from  the  heat,  and  partly  from  exer 
tion.  Du  Quesne  was  ready  to  fall,  when 
he  sprained  his  ancle  and  dropped. 

"  Leave  me,  Weshop,"  said  he,  as  the 
sweat  poured  from  his  body,  u  escape  if 
you  can,  but  lay  me  in  the  bushes,  and  de 
part,  perhaps  they  may  pass  me  by."  We 
shop  cast  on  him  one  look  ot  agony,  as  he 
said  u  a  man  who  falls  in  the  run  is  never 


LKTTUK3.  51 

heard  Iroin  again."  He  look  him  by  the 
arm,  arid  sometimes  carried  him  on  his 
shoulders,  till  they  found  themselves  cut  off 
from  their  party,  and  surprised  and  taken 
by  a  party  of  the  pursuing  Indians. 

As  Du  Quesne  moved  with  difficulty,  his 
fate  was  for  a  moment  uncertain ;  but  the 
encampment  of  the  enemy  happened  to  he 
near,  and  Weshop  was  compelled  to  assist 
his  companion  in  keeping  up  with  the  par 
ty- 

They  arrived  about  night-fall  at  a  spot 
near  the  left  bank  of  the  Saranac,  where 
that  stream,  which  is  full  of  falls  and  rapids, 
passes  between  high  hills,  and  is  bounded 
by  a  country  which  corresponds  with  the 
troubled  motion  of  its  waters.  Several 
wigwams  were  disposed  under  the  shelter 
of  a  rocky  height,  the  face  of  which  was 
nearly  perpendicular,  and  whose  top  was 
thinly  covered  with  savin  bushes,  that  seem 
ed  looking  down  as  they  bent  over  the 
brink.  The  warriors  immediately  betook 
themselves  to  eating  and  sleeping  ;  some  in 
the  wigwams,  and  some  round  loose  fires, 
which  were  already  kindled,  where  the 
squaws  and  santops,  and  poppooses  (as  the 
larger  and  smaller  children  are  called)  stood 
ready  to  welcome  their  friends. 

Weshop  and  Du  Quesne  were  secured  in 
one  of  those  natural  caves  or  openings  in 
the  rock,  which  are  common  in  this  vicini- 


52  FORT    BRADDOCK 

ty,  and  which  the  Indians  with  a  little  labor, 
often  "convert  into  places  of  residence — they 
generally  resort  to  them  in  times  of  danger, 
as  afforciii.g  -bolter  and  safely. 

The  narrow  entrance  was  strongly  se 
cured,  and  they  were  left  to  conjecture 
their  approaching  fate.  Du  Quesne  be 
wailed  tiie  continual  misfortunes  in  which 
he  seemed  to  have  involved  himself,  and 
those  with  whom  he  had  been  and  was  con 
nected,  and  compared  his  present  misery 
with  his  more  tolerable  imprisonment  at 
New  Amsterdam,  from  which  his  fellow- 
sufferer  had  released  him. 

u  What,"  said  he,  "  will  these  wretches 
do  with  us?  shall  we  be  tortured  and  mur 
dered,  Wesbop  ?  I  have  heard  they  roast 
their  prisoners — I  have  heard  even  worse 
than  that  !" 

Weshop  slowly  replied,  "they  can  get 
pay  for  a  white  man,  if  they  carrry  him  to 
the  next  French  town,  but  me,"  said  he, 
firmly,  "  they  will  burn." 

4'  Oh  1"  said  Du  Quesne  in  horror,  uGod 
forbid — toll  them,  /  beg  of  you,  if  they  car 
ry  me  as  a  prisoner,  among  civilized  men, 
to-wait  till  I  can  send  your  ransom.  You 
shall  be  ransomed  if  it  takes  all  the  prop 
erty  at  Blasted  Tree,  if  it  costs  the  evacua 
tion  of  the  whole  country,  if  it  cost  my  life  ; 
certainly  they  can  ask  no  more," — and  he 
groaned  with  anguish. 


LETTERS.  53 

"'Twill  do  no  good,"  was  the  answer. — 
T  once  escaped  before ;  may  be  they  wont 
save  you.  lie  paused,  and  then  continued, 
"  Do  not  the  white  men  say  that  the  good 
are  happy  as  soon  as  they  die  ?" 

"Yes." 

"  We  believe  it  takes  seven  days  to  go 
to  the  country  of  good  spirits,  after  that,  I 
expect  to  see  you  and  know  you,  if  yois 
should  be  alive,  but  I  can't  make  you  see 
me,  nor  know  tne." 

JDu  Quesne  was  unable  to  reply. 

Weshop  seemed  more  inclined  to  talk 
than  usual.  His  notions  were  wild  and  fan 
ciful,  but  his  manner  was  calm  and  serious; 
and  particularly  was  it  affecting  to  one  who 
was  likewise  endeavoring  to  prepare  him 
self  for  the  same  awful  trial.  In  the  course 
•of  the  next  day,  Du  Quesne  was  surprised 
to  see  him  produce  his  tomahawk,  which 
he  had  artfully  contrived  to  secure  to  his 
arm,  by  a  fold  of  his  blanket,  so  that  it  es 
caped  the  notice  of  his  enemies. 

The  Indians  who  held  thorn  prisoners, 
were  only  a  detachment  of  those  who  had 
surprised  the  hunting  party.  Most  of  them, 
as  it  afterwards  appeared,  had  made  direct 
ly  for  the  garrison,  where  this  division  was 
soon  to  join  th^m.  It  was  led  by  a  warrior 
named  Tantinok,  whose  business  it  was  to 
«x^cute,-  or  otherwise  dispose  of  such  as 
were  made  captive,  according  to  the  ben- 


54  FORT    BRADDOCK 

(once  of  the  Sagamores,  or  Elders.  This 
Indian  came  into  the  cave  towards  the  even 
ing  of  the  second  day.  His  appearance 
showed  he  had  been  preparing  lor  some 
usual  occasion.  The  expression  of  triumph 
in  his  features  was  made  more  ferocious,  by 
stains  and  streaks  of  different  colored  paints, 
with  which  his  face  was  disfigured  or  adorn 
ed,  according1  to  the  taste  of  the  beholder. 
His  head  was  decked  with  feathers,  and  his 
nose,  ears,  ancles  and  wrists,  with  rings, 
shells,  and  strings  of  beads.  He  told  We- 
sbop,  with  an  appearance  of  great  satisfac 
tion,  that  at  midnight  he  would  lead  him 
out  to  his  tormentors.  The  warrior  heard 
his  sentence  with  seeming  indifference,  and 
even  reproached  his  enemy  with  weakness 
and  cowardice.  Every  sensation  of  anguish 
was  now  felt  by  Du  Quesne,  in  the  extreme. 
He  had  no  consolation  to  bestow,  for  he  felt 
that  he  needed  much,  and  he  watched  over 
Weshop  in  bewildered  sitence.  The  "stoic 
of  the  woods"  lay  stretched  on  his  straw, 
where  he  slept  till  awakened  by  the  ap 
proach  of  his  midnight  visitor.  Tantinock 
had  a  tomahawk  in  one  hand,  and  a  pine 
knot  burning  in  the  other.  He  stood  over 
his  prisoner  as  he  rose,  and  making  signs 
for  him  to  follow,  led  the  way  from  the  cav 
ern. 

The  small  cavity  in  the  rock  where  they 
were,    communicated    outward   by  a  very 


55 


uarrow  passage,  or  cleft  in  the  ledge,  with 
room  for  but  one  person  to  walk  at  once.  — 
Du  Quesne  cast  a  look  upon  the  departing 
hero,  but  it  wa4*  not  answered,  and  he  was 
about  to  turn  his  eyes,  when  just  as  Weshop 
entered  the  passage,  the  broad  glare  of  the 
torch  light  showed  the  tomahawk  in  his 
hand.  He  struck  with  his  whole  force  a 
single  blow,  which  needed  no  repeating.  — 
The  weapon  sunk  into  the  head  of  the  fore 
most  Indian,  who  fell  instantly  dead.  We- 
shop  put  his  finger  to  his  lip,  as  lie  turned 
to  Du  Quesne,  with  a  look  that  showed  him 
to  be  at  that  instant,  perfectly  happy.  — 
•"  Turn  to  the  right,"  said  he,  "  as  soon  as 
we  get  out  ;  don't  be  afraid,  but  jump  down 
the  rocks  to  the  gap  in  the  bank  where  the 
canoes  are.  I  must  move  a  little  towards 
the  fires  with  the  torch."  Du  Quesne  in 
stantly  obeyed.  His  ancle  was  now  strong, 
and  his  agony  of  mind  for  the  last  two 
nights,  had  prepared  him  to  welcome  any 
danger,  and  defy  any  hazard.  He  turned 
round  the  corner  of  the  ledge,  jumped,  and 
sprung,  and  fell  several  times,  rose,  and  ex 
erted  all  his  might,  reckless  of  danger,  to 
reach  the  narrow  landing  place,  where  he 
knew,  such  was  VVeshop's  activity,  that  his 
friend,  unless  taken,  would  be  found. 

Some  of  the  ridges  of  the  rocks  which 
fell  towards  the  river  in  different  tiers,  or 
strata,  were  so  high  and  difficult  that  he  ap- 


5(3  FORT  BRADDOCK 

peared  to  have  fallen,  with  occasional  in 
termissions,  the  whole  way.  Weshop  reach 
ed  the  spot  nearly  at  the  same  moment. — 
The  snow  wns  falling  very  thick  and  fast, 
so  that  an  object  could  net  be  distinctly  seen 
but  a  small  distance  off.  We&hop  had  left 
his  torch  in  the  cleft  of  a  tree  burning-,  and 
now  contrived  himself  to  get  off  with  a  ca 
noe,  and  stave  holes  with  his  tomahawk 
through  the  bottom  of  several  others.  Du 
Quesne  remembered  his  old  posture,  and 
dropped  in  (he  bottom  of  the  boat,  which 
his  active  pilot  soon  conducted  to  the  mid 
dle  of  the  stream.  The  river  was  little  less 
than  a  succession  of  rapids  and  falls,  which 
made  their  progress  as  dangerous  as  it  was 
speedy.  The  little  barge  of  birch  and  splin 
ters  held  its;  onward  way,  like  the  charmed 
egg-shell  of  the  Lapland  witches.  The  noise 
was  now  hearrf  of  the  Indians  now  gathered 
on  the  bank  of  the  river,  firing  the  few  fire 
arms  that  they  had,  and  raising  their  cries 
above  the  roar  of  the  waters  and  the  storm  \ 
but  tbe  motion  of  the  boat  could  not  be  per 
ceived,  and  the  rushing  of  a  frigate  through 
the  waves,  would  have  been  drowned  by 
the  violence  of  the  storm,  and  the  dash  of 
the  torrent ;  and  the  boat  shot  over  the  rap 
ids  with  the  boundless  velocity  of  an  arrow 
from  the  string.  There  was  a  desperate 
plunge  soon  to  be  taken  over  a  fall  below. 
Du  Quesne  was  directed  to  make  himself 


LKliLKb.  .     b'i 

fast  to  the  boat  with  a  cord,  that  in  any  event 
he  might  not  he  separated  i'rom  their  only 
hope.  The  precaution  was  not  in  vain. 
The  boat  in  the  dark  plunged  over  the  fall, 
and  fell  so  swift,  as  to  rob  him  of  his  breath, 
He  fell  downright,  without  knowing-  where 
the  descent  would  stop,  till  he  found  him 
self  plunged  in  the  river,  and  covered  near 
ly  to  drowning,  by  water,  under  which  he 
felt  himself  drawn  by  the  rope.  The  boat 
had  turned  sidewise,  and  had  tilled — so  that 
the  slightest  weight  would  h»ve  sunk  it  but 
for  the  current  that  pressed  it  forward. 
Weshop  told  him  to  hold  on,  and  both  clung 
to  the  canoe  till  they  came  to  the  edge  of  a 
shelving  shore  where  the  water  eddied 
round  a  point,  and  the  Indian  touched  the 
bottom  with  his  feet.  Their  united  efforts 
drew  the  skiff  on  shore,  emptied  it,  and 
launched  it  again  buoyant  upon  the  stream. 
The  Indiar:  kept  it  steady  while  Du  Ques- 
ne  got  in,  and  then  sprung  lightly  over  the 
stern,  and  continued  his  course  till  he  reach 
ed  the  peaceful  bosom  of  Lake  Champlain. 
They  were  now  far  southward  of  the  Chazy, 
and  made  no  doubt  that  the  garrison  was  so 
beleaguered  that  any  attempt  to  join  it, 
would  expose  them  to  certain  capture.  Du 
Qiifsne  knew  so  as  to  describe  to  Weshop, 
nearly  the  place  where  the  New  England 
troops  were  to  rendezvous. 


58  FORT    BRADDOCK 

"  We  must  cross  the  lake  and  find  'em,'; 
said  the  Indian,  ns  he  stood  balancing  in  the 
stern  of  the  boat.  "  Van  Tromp  wants  'em. 
The  enemy  is  around  him  so  that  there's  no 
coming1  out  or  going  in.  The  Oneidas  and 
Mohawks  will  burn  and  murder  every  living 
soul ;  without  help,  they  will  leave  nothing 
but  ashes,  so  let  us  push  for  the  New  Eng 
land  troops.1' 

Our  adventurers  accordingly  continued 
their  course  across  the  lake,  where  for  the 
present  we  must  leave  them;  for  the  con 
nexion  of  events  require  that  we  should  now 
shift  our  scenery  to  another,  and  a  distant 
part  of  the  country,  and  leave  for  a  space 
our  northern  friends,  that  we  may  bring  up 
to  the  samp  period,  the  fortunes  of  Dudley  ; 
who,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  in  the 
league  of  friendship  at  Saybrook  College. 

LETTER   VII. 

u  My  name  was  Robert  Kidd, 

And  God's  laws  I  did  forbid, 

And  thus  wickedly  I  did— as  I  sailed." 

The  appearance  of  the  sky  indicated  on*3? 
of  those  autumnal  storms  which  render  nav 
igation  dangerous  on  the  coast  of  New  Eng 
land,  when  a  ship  ot  a  size  and  appearance 
more  large  and  imposing  than  was  usually 
seen  in  those  waters,  was  crossing  Long  Isl 
and  Sound,  and  making  for  Gardiner's  Bay, 


LETTERS.  59 

She  came  round  the  point,  and  anchored  un 
der  the  land,  as  near  the  shore  as  was  sate, 
in  a  place  so  sheltered  by  the  woods,  and 
the  projection  of  land  towards  the  sand  bar, 
as  not  to  be  readily  seen  from  the  sound. — 
Two  boats  put  off  from  the  vessel,  one  of 
which  steered  towards  the  southern  part  of 
the  hay,  and  the  other  directly  for  the  shore. 
This  last  was  tilled  with  men,  who  repair 
ed  to  a  rude  cabin,  which  stood  in  the  edge 
of  the  wood,  not  far  from  the  water.  Here 
they  made  preparations  for  spending  the 
night,  by  kindling  a  fire,  and  bringing  into 
the  hut  refreshments,  and  several  other  ar 
ticles  from  the  boat. 

The  night,  which  had  now  set  in,  soon 
became  pitchy  dark,  and  the  storm,  which 
had  been  foreseen,  began  with  violence. — 
The  hut  was  dry,  and  derived  an  air  of  com- 
ibrt  from  the  tempest  without,  and  the  fire 
which  blazed  within.  A  light  was  kept 
burning  at  a  small  window,  to  direct  the  re 
turn  of  the  other  boat  through  the  darkness, 
and  a  guard  placed  at  the  door; — while  the 
rest  of  the  men  reposed  themselves  round 
the  sides  of  the  room,  except  one — who  ap 
peared  to  exercise  unlimited  authority.  He 
sometimes  seated  himself — sometimes  stood 
alone  by  the  tire,  and  sometimes  walked 
back  and  forth  in  the  room.  He  was  a  mus 
cular  and  strong  built  man,  of  a  morose 
look,  and  foreign  air.  His  dress  was  rich 


60  FORT    BRADDOCK 

with  lace,  and  somewhat  resembled  a  Brit 
ish  Naval  uniform.  He  had  a  pair  of  sil 
ver  mounted  pistols,  and  a  heavy  eastern 
sabre  at  his  side.  He  listened  now  and  then 
till  he  could  distinguish  the  dash  of  oars  in 
the  pauses  of  the  storrn. 

"  Douse  the  glim  there,  Darby  Mullens. 
Off  with  these  cutter's  men  to  the  ship,  and 
back  by  day-light.  Tell  Watson  to  keep 
his  eye  on  the  prisoner,  for  we  are  close 
on  shore  ;  look  out,  for  if  any  body  deserts, 
you  shall  walk  the  plank." 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  a 
man  entered  armed  like  the  other,  except 
that  instead  of  pistols,  he  wore  a  carbine  or 
arquebuss,  with  a  spring  bayonet.  The  wa 
ter  was  pouring  from  the  spout  of  his  three 
cornered  hat,  and  his  black  beard  grew  so 
high  on  his  face,  and  so  near  the  fell  of  un 
combed  hair  above,  that  his  eyes  looked 
like  those  of  a  Newfoundland  dog,  though 
far  less  prepossessing.  He  was  followed  by 
six  or  seven  of  a  very  motley  or  weather- 
beaten  appearance. 

"  Bolton,"  continued  the  first  speaker, 
<c  what  does  he  say  ?  Can  I  have  provision 
enough  for  another  cruise  ?" 

"  Wait  till  I  get  the  water  out  of  my  eyes, 
and  I'll  tell  you." 

So  saying,  he  poured  a  liberal  allowance 
of  brandy  into  a  tumbler,  and  drank  it  undi 
luted.  The  commander  seconded  the  mo- 


LETTERS.  6 1 

tion,  as  he  called  it,  and  then  handed  it  to 
the  sailors,  who  drank  extempore  from  the 
neck  of  the  bottle.  Their  conversation, 
though  it  throws  some  light  on  after  circum 
stances,  was  not  such  as  should  he  publish 
ed  in  the  Fort  Braddock  MS.  We  learn 
from  it,  however,  that  Lord  Bellamont  was 
about  entering  on  the  duties  of  Governor, 
both  of  Massachusetts  and  New  York — that 
Gardiner's  Bay  was  the  commander's  only 
place  of  safety — that  he  had  a  commission 
from  the  Board  of  Admiralty,  and  sailing  or 
ders  from  Lord  Bellamont  himself. 

tc  Strain  every  nerve  to  get  to  sea  again," 
said  Kidd,  u  and  immediately,  with  provis 
ions  for  a  long  voyage.  Kill  Gardiner's  cat 
tle  and  pay  him — one  day,  rain  or  shine,  is 
all  I  ask — the  Earl  of  Bellamont  is  himself 
suspected  ot  assisting  us,  and  his  enemies 
have  urged  the  colonies  to  prove  their  sus 
pected  loyalty  by  bringing  my  head.  There 
is  a  provincial  sloop  under  Dudley,  that 
may  suspect  our  haunt,  and  seek  in  this 
very  storm,  this  infernal  tempting  harbor." 

"  Why  then,"  said  Bolton,  "  did  vou  come 
here." 

"  Did  you  never  know  why  I  often  come 
here  ?  This  island  belongs  to  no  state  or 
province,  and  is  embraced  in  no  patent,  but 
is  holden  directly  from  King  William,  like 
the  Isle  of  Wight ;  and  it  belongs  to  the 
family  of  the  Gardiners,  in  which  it  is  en- 
6 


62  FORT    BRAD-DOCK 

tailed,  with  no  law  or  responsibility  except 
to  the  King,  who  doesn't  know  whether  it 
is  in  the  East  or  West  Indies  or  the  West. 
There  is  on  it  but  a  single  family  and  its  la 
borers,  and  we  have  them  always  under  our 
control.  They  can  send  for  no  militia,  and 
claim  no  assistance  ;  the  dead  peace  of  the 
spot  is  disturbed  only  by  us.  Here  are 
woods,  water,  and  provisions,  at  our  own 
price,  and  more  security  in  these  regions, 
than  is  to  be  found  elsewhere." 

u  Then  why  not  stay,"  said  Bolton,  u  the 
very  expense  of  pursuit  will  sicken  the 
plantation*  ;  and  they  have  Indians  enough 
on  shore  to  look  out  for,  without  chasing  pi 
rates  at  sea.1" 

"  Do  you  not  notice,"  said  the  captain, 
u  among  the  prisoners  we  took  in  the  Que- 
dah,  a  Frenchman,  that  seemed  A  passenger 
fro'n  the  East  Indies?  I  seldom  see  a  man 
but  I  remember  him  again.  'Tis  more  than 
twonty  years  ago  that  I  knew  that  man  in 
New  York,  as  they  call  it  now.  He  was 
an  officer  in  the  French  service,  when  I  tra 
ded  from  that  port  with  the  Bucaniers.  He 
had  a  wife  with  him,  I  think  ;  any  how,  he 
was  much  respected ;  his  connexions  are 
every  where,  and  if  he  should  escape,  then 
Robert  Kidd  sails  no  more.  Depend  on't 
there's  danger.  Fifty  of  my  men  deserted 
at  St.  Mary's,  vVhen  we  burnt  the  Adven 
turer,  and  went  on  board  the  Mocha  Pirafo. 
Do  you  see,  Bolton  ?" 


LLTTER3.  63 

Bolton  looked  him  full  in  the  lace,  and 
Living-  his  hond  on  the  hilt  of  his  Turkish 
scimetar,  said,  a  Moore  lies  qnief  on  Black 
Point,  and  though  his  money  is  within  the 
reach  of  his  arm,  he  can't  mutter  whore  it 
is." 

"  I  know,"  was  the  reply,  "but  this  m;«n 
can  pay  a  ransom  ;  he  shall  neither  die  here 
or  escape." 

"  Then,"  said  Bolton,  "  I  agree  we  must 
put  to  sea.  Hark  !  how  high  the  wind 
blows  !  how  the  arms  of  these,  old  oak  trees 
swing  and  creak — blow  high  or  low.  we"1!! 
he  ready  tomorrow  night.  It  is  now  W.  N. 
W.  it  will  clear  off  in  the  S.  \V.  in  a  day  or 
two,  let's  see,  the  moon  changes  tomorrow. 
What's  become  of  that  bottle?  The  eastern 
nations  understand  weather  hetter  than  \ve 
do;  no  wonder,  with  their  monsoons  and 
tornadoes.  Thunder  and  lightning  !  here 
an't  half  a  drink  !  Molucca,"  said  he  to  a 
short  brown  colored  fellow,  "  Arrack  !" 
The  boy  looked  for  another  bottle.  "  And 
put  some  straw  near  the  fire — there,  that 
will  not  do — not  so  close,  if  I  burn  up  I'll 
torment  you  forever." 

So  saying,  he  took  his  laudanum,  as  he 
called  it,  unbelted  his  sword  which  he  drew, 
and  placed  it  at  his  head,  and  then  threw 
himself  on  the  straw. 

"  Thank  Heaven,  1  am  tired,"  said  he, 
looking  at  Captain  Kidd,  more  in  earnest 


64  FORT    BRADDOCK 

than  in  jest,  "  how  much  hard  labor  it  takes 
to  supply  the  little  place  of  a  quiet  con 
science.  I  shall  sleep,  though,  whatever  I 
may  dream" 

There  is  not  in  the  whole  compass  of  na 
ture's  music,  a  sound  more  soothing,  than 
the  rushing  of  a  heavy  rain  upon  a  drowsy 
head.  It  seems  to  force  upon  the  rnind  a 
strong  conviction  of  comfort,  and  to  excite 
feelings  of  gratitude  for  the  shelter  we  en 
joy,  mixed  with  a  slight  and  painful  touch 
of  pity,  for  the  unknown,  but  the  possible 
exposure  of  others.  When  this  lullaby  is 
joined  by  the  chorus  of  waters  lashed  by 
the  wind,  and  dashed  at  intervals  on  the 
shore,  the  sense  of  personal  safety,  and  the 
contrasted  images  of  peril  by  sea,  serve  on 
ly  to  heighten  this  pensive  pleasure.  But 
to  enjoy  the  beauties  or  the  music  of  nature, 
innocence  is  necessary.  Eden  faded  from 
the  eyes  of  our  first  parents,  and  though  the 
spot  be  left,  it  will  never  be  found  again  by 
their  short  sighted  and  sinful  posterity. 

The  next  morning  the  storm  continued, 
as  was  expected  ;  the  boats  put  off  from  the 
ship  to  the  shore,  and  the  captain  set  out  in 
his  barge  for  the  south  part  of  the  island, 
where  the  mansion  house  has  always  stood. 
He  landed,  notwithstanding  the  rain,  in  a 
sort  of  naval  style,  left  a  trusty  man  with 
the  boat,  and  sent  another  to  announce  his 
approach.  The  rest  followed  him  at  a  rr- 


LETTERS.  65 

specif  ul  distance,  fully  armed, and  with  mili 
tary  precicion.  They  paraded  before  !he 
door  till  they  had  leave  to  retire  to  the 
kitchen,  and  Kidd  himself  entered  the  house. 

This  was  by  no  means  his  first  visit.  Mr. 
Gardiner,  commonly  called  Lord  Gardiner, 
from  his  being  an  immediate  tenant  of  the 
crown,  and  having  a  separate  charter  or  pa 
tent,  which  granted  him  certain  royal  privi 
leges  on  his  own  territory,  received  him 
very  civilly,  though  with  some  embarrass 
ment.  He  knew  that  he  sailed  at  first  with 
a  commission  from  the  British  Admiralty, 
and  more  than  suspected  the  use  he  had 
made  of  it.  Kidd  knew  all  this,  but  acted 
as  if  he  wore  King  William's  commission, 
and  would  resent  any  suspicion  to  the  con 
trary.  He  mentioned  the  urgency  of  the 
service  on  which  he  was  sent,  and  spoke  of 
recent  orders  from  the  Admiralty.  He 
brought  some  presents  for  Mrs.  Gardiner 
and  children,  and  politely  requested  her  to 
retire,  that  he  might  have  a  moment's  con 
versation  with  her  husband. 

In  this  private  interview  he  made  a  mem 
orandum  of  the  provision  he  wanted,  which 
he  carried  out  at  his  own  prices  ;  and  after 
footing  it  up,  paid  the  money  down,  and  ad 
ded  that  it  must  be  delivered  by  sunrise  the 
next  morning  at  the  Fisher's  hut,  for  he 
dared  not  trust  his  men  on  the  island,  for 
fear  of  desertion.  He  regretted  that  the 
6* 


66  FORT    BRADDOCK 

weather  was  such  that  he  could  not  enter- 
terlain  his  friends  on  board — dropped  a 
word  or  two  about  his  men  and  guns,  and 
politely  took  his  leave.  No  military  con 
tribution  was  ever  levied  with  more  parti 
cularity.  The  Quedah  was  watered  and 
supplied  with  provisions  for  a  cruise  ;  the 
plan  of  which  Kidd  had  contrived,  but  the 
success  of  which  he  could  not  foresee. 


LETTER  VIII. 

The  weather  on  the  third  day  was  fair, 
and  the  wind  favorable.  The  ship  was  un 
der  weigh,  and  the  spars  were  whitened 
with  canvass  at  a  single  order.  The  pro 
prietor  of  the  Island  saw  her  with  pleasure, 
when  she  doubled  the  point  to  get  out  of 
the  bay,  and  put  before  the  wind  in  the  di 
rection  of  Montauk. 

The  infant  trade  of  our  colonies,  and  in 
deed,  all  the  navigation,  on  the  coast  had 
been  endangered  by  other  pirates  besides 
this  noted  freebooter.  Barbarous  cruelties, 
and  some  shocking  and  unprovoked  murders 
upon  the  neighboring  seas,  had  been  com 
mitted,  and  the  colonies,  particularly  Mas 
sachusetts,  had  fitted  out  a  few  vessels  to 
protect  their  trade,  and  if  possible,  capture 
the  pirates.  DUDLEY,  who  was  considered 
an  officer  of  much  promise,  had  been  lately 
promoted  to  the  command  of  the  Martyr 


LETTERS.  67 

sloop  of  War,  and  sent  on  this  service.  He 
had  obtained  an  accurate  description  of  the 
Quedah,  and  overhauled  every  sail  he  saw, 
in  hopes  of  falling  in  with  this  noted  pirate. 
Kidd  was  still  in  sight  of  land,  when  he  made 
out  the  Martyr,  and  bore  down  for  her,  in 
expectation  of  finding  a  merchant  vessel. 
He  was  soon  undeceived  bv  her  size  and 
appearance,  and  most  of  all,  by  her  stand 
ing  directly  for  him,  though  the  wind  was 
in  the  wrong  quarter.  He  called  to  Bolton. 
"  What  say — shall  we  fight  for  the  fun  of  it, 
when  there's  nothing  to  get  ?  There's  noth 
ing  but  Spartan  coin  by  the  looks — there's 
no  glory  to  be  got.  That  fellow  now," 
pointing  to  the  vessel,  "  would  he  afraid  to 

run.  D n  it,  Bolton,  I  dare  do  any  thing, 

fight  or  run  ; — what  say  ?" 

u  Just  as  your  stomach  is,"  said  Bolton, 
shipping  a  large  quid  of  pigtail  aboard  his 
month,  "  but  in  three  hours  sailing  you'll  be 
overhauled." 

"Quarters  then— beat  to  quarters  ; — but 
pack  all  sail,  put  her  before  the  wind. 
Ilehn  a-port — steady — there,  hold  her  at 
that."  A  few  gratuitous  curses,  by  way  of 
emphasis,  garnished  the  order. 

Discipline  was  Kidd's  creed,  and  he  sup 
posed  it  was  brought  about  only  in  one 
method.  The  cat  o'nine  tails  had  been 
freely  used  that  very  morning;  the  yard 
arm  was  handy,  and  the  plank  lay  in  the 


68  FORT    BRADDOCK 

gangway,  ready  at  word  to  be  run  out  from 
the  vessel's  side.  At  every  springing  of  the 
dreadful  trap,  a  living  corpse  was  heard  to 
plunge,  and  cries  for  help  to  come  with  the 
wind,  till  the  speed  of  the  ship  left  them  far 
behind. 

Kidd  now  put  his  crew  to  every  various 
and  rapid  service,  which  is  suddenly  requi 
red  in  preparing  for  flight  and  battle  at  the 
same  time.  Different  orders  were  given  in 
the  same  breath,  which  were  sometimes 
misunderstood,  and  sometimes,  to  his  criti 
cal  eye,  too  slightly  and  negligently  execu 
ted.  His  orders  had  at  first  some  few  words 
of  intelligible  English,  mixed  here  and 
there  among  his  oaths;  but  he  soon  confin 
ed  himself  to  his  vocabulary  of  profanity, 
which  he  fairlv  exhausted  more  than  once, 
in  French,  Dutch,  and  English.  He  soon 
saw  that  a  battle  was  inevitable:  for  the 
Quedah,  from  a  long  voyage,  was  not  in  so 
good  sailing  order  as  the  vessel  in  pursuit, 
tvhich  was  fast  coming  up. 

u  I  did  not  care  enough  whether  I  fought 
or  run,  to  make  up  my  mind  about  it,"  said 
he  to  Bolton,  as  he  suddenly  assumed  an  air 
of  perfect  composure,  "but  I  think  we  shall 
be  saved  the  trouble  of  a  council  of  war  on 
that  point-.  We  must  take  in  sail,  and 
clear  for  action,  after  the  men  have  had 
their  fighting  rations.  Let  the  Quarter 
Master  bring  some  this  way,  that  1  maj- 


LETTERS.  69 

have  a  word  over  a  social  glass  with  you, 
Mr.  Bolton.  I  like  this  chance  of  a  battle, 
if  it  was  only  as  an  apology  for  drinking; 
though  you  may  say  i'rn  not  difficult  about 
excuses.  But  Bolton,  to  be  serious,  we 
must  be  prepared,  you  know,  for  the  worst; 
and  be  the  chance  of  our  being  taken  what 
it  may,  there  shall  be  none  of  our  being  be 
trayed." 

A  conversation  succeeded  in  a  tone  low, 
but  earnest,  in  which  nothing  could  be  dis 
tinguished,  except  at  intervals,  such  words 
— the  prisoner — the  plank — he  knows  all, 
and  it  can't  be  helped — dead  men  tell  no 
tales,  &c. 

The  result  was  not  known.  Without  ce 
remony,  or  even  a  public  declaration  ot  the 
design,  a  few  men  were  despatched  for  the 
unhappy  object  of  Kidd's  suspicions,  who 
brought  the  victim  upon  the  deck,  strug 
gling  and  reluctant,  with  his  eyes  bound, 
though  his  hands  were  free.  He  was  led 
along  the  plank,  which  projected  over  the 
side  at  the  gangway,  and  which  was  cut 
from  its  slight  lashing,  so  that  he  dropped 
in  the  waler,  and  was  left  in  the  wake  of 
the  vessel 

There  was  carelessly  seated  on  the  deck 
of  the  Martyr,  a  young,  and  what  ladies 
would  call  a  handsome  looking  man,  with  a 
spy-glass  in  his  hand,  which  he  happened  at 
that  moment  to  apply  to  his  eye.  I  cannot 


70  FORT    ERADDOCK 

stop  as  the  manner  of  some  is,  to  tell  how 
he  looked,  how  his  hat  had  fallen  from  his 
head,  and  left  it  with  no  other  covering 
than  thick  dark  curls  of  chesnut  hair,  which 
the  wind  stirred  from  his  high,  fair  fore 
head,  nor  of  the  form  that  graced  the  rude 
ground  work  of  the  quarter  deck.  I  must 
be.  if  possible,  as  rapid  in  my  narration,  as 
he  was  in  action,  when  his  accidental  glance, 
assisted  by  the  spy  glass,  rested  on  that 
sight  of  horror,  which  I  have  just  descri 
bed.  The  fair  readers  of  this  time-worn 
manuscript,  must  pardon  me,  if  I  leave  them 
to  conjecture  how  he  looked  when  he 
sprang  on  his  feet,  and  with  a  freedom  of 
language,  which  in  those  pure  days,  even 
the  profession  of  a  seaman  did  not  allow, 
exclaimed,  "  Good  God  !'  they've  murdered 
a  man — away  there  to  his  help!" 

The  hoarse  voice  of  the  boatswain  was 
heard  above  the  busy  hum  of  the  ship's 
crew,  away  there — you  first  cutters,  away  /" 
and  the  hint  was  taken  by  a  boat's  crew, 
who,  headed  by  an  officer,  were  over  the 
vessel's  side  and  seated  at  their  pars,  with 
the  activity  of  a  flock  of  mother  Gary's 
chickens. 

The  speed  of  manual  exertion  is  no  where 
shown  to  more  advantage  than  on  board  a 
vessel  of  war. 

"  Pull,  pull,"  said  the  officer,  as  he  stood 
in  the  stern  with  the  tiller  in  his  hand.  A 


LETTERS.  71 

shot  from  the  Quedah  went  so  near  his 
head,  that  he  could  tell  from  the  scream 
that  there  was  a  flaw  in  the  bullet.  "  Ah, 
\ve  shall  engage  in  a  minute,  pull — pull  a- 
way." 

The  men  sprung1  to  their  oars  for  the 
floating  victim.  The  long  ridges  of  the 
ocean  wave  were  dashing  over  him,  and  in 
his  drowning  ears,  "  deep  answered  unto 
deep."  He  had  pulled  the  bandage  from 
his  eyes,  and  it  now  hung  loose  about  his 
neck,  so  that  he  saw  the  effort  for  his  relief, 
and  was  struggling  with  the  exertion  of  a 
spent  swimmer,  lo  whom  hope  had  given 
preternatural  power,  when  the  barge  was 
sweeping  by  him,  and  the  man  in  the  bow 
caught  the  handkerchief  round  his  neck, 
with  a  boat-hook.  The  oars  stopped,  the 
boat  with  the  body  alongside,  drove  through 
the  water  with  the  headway  already  acquir 
ed.  The  man  was  exhausted,  and  lifeless, 
to  all  appearaace,  when  they  took  him  on 
board,  and  put  about  for  the  ship.  By  this 
time  the  vessels  were  so  near,  that  some 
shots  had  already  been  exchanged,  and  an 
engagement  was  certain. 

It  is  said  that  the  silent  moment,  before 
the  "grim  ridges  of  war"  join  in  the  con 
flict,  is  dreadful ;  and  the  occasion  has  been 
taken  by  the  great  captains  of  antiquity,  to 
address  their  armies  in  speeches — 

"On  the  rough  edge  of  battle  ere  it  joined,11 


72  FORT    BRADDOCK 

and  this  practise,  as  to  the  length  of  the 
speeches,  has  been  improved  upon  in  mod 
ern  times,  as  indeed  all  sorts  of  speech-mak 
ing  has  been. 

Upon  this  occasion,  the  prefatory  words 
were  few  and  unpremeditated. 

"  Bolton,"  said  Kidd,  "  we  mut  fight,  but 

he'll  be  sorry,  for  d n  him,  if  he  had 

been  worth  taking,  I'd  have  done  it  an  hour 
ago.  Haul  up  the  courses,  and  bring  her 
to.  My  boys,  we  must  sink  her  directly. — 
We  can't  be  taken,  that's  out  of  the  ques 
tion.  Those  of  you  who'd  rather  die  here 
like  herops,  than  be  hung  for  pirates  at  Ex 
ecution  Dock,  let's  know  by  three  cheers." 
The  three  cheers  were  given,  and  the  ship 
was  ready  for  action. 

The  Martyr,  not  certain  of  bringing  her 
adversary  to  action,  was  holding  on  under 
full  sail.  The  commander  had  directed  a 
shot  or  two,  to  ascertain  the  distance,  till 
he  saw  the  move  of  the  Quedah  for  action, 
when  he  gave  orders  to  call  all  hands.  At 
the  shrill  whistle  of  the  boatswain,  the  deck 
was  filled  with  men,  who  came,  some  from, 
aloft,  and  some  from  below.  The  officer 
stepped  forward,  and  inclined  his  head, — 
every  hat  was  off,  and  every  eye  on  him. 

"  My  lad?,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  keep  you 
but  a  moment  fronruyour  duty.  See  that  in 
human  wretch — 'tis  Robert  Kidd,  the  devil 
has  deserted  him  at  last,  and  Providence 


LETTERS.  73 

has  delivered  him  into  our  hands — the  vic 
tory  is  ours,  now  to  your  quarters,  and  wait 
the  word." 

"  Where  shall  I  lay  her,"  said  the  sail 
ing-master. 

"O,  Mr.  Conklin,"  said  Dudley,  "  I  for 
got  that ;  lay  her  along  side,  at  pistol  shot. 
Mr.  Endicot,  he  ready  to  lead  away  the 
boarders." 

The  sides  of  the  Quedah  had  smoked  and 
blazed  with  repeated  discharges  of  her  guns, 
which  did  some  damage  before  Dudley  near- 
ed  his  distance,  and  gave  the  word  to  fire. 
Both  ships  were  instantly  involved  in  smoke. 
The  distance  was  so  small,  that  musketry 
was  used  from  the  tops,  and  th.e  decks  of 
both  vessels.  Few  battles  have  been  more 
desperately  fought.  Dudley  was  resolved 
to  capture,  and  Kidd,  not  to  be  taken.  The 
Martyr  was  constantly  nearing  the  Quedab, 
till  the  fluke  of  her  anchor  caught  in  one 
of  the  Quedah's  port  holes,  and  Dudley 
sprang  forward,  calling  on  the  boarders  and 
heading  them  himself.  To  gain  the  Q,ue- 
dah's  deck,  would  have  been  no  easy  mat 
ter;  but  it  happened  that  Kidd  had  been 
stunned  by  a  splinter,  and  Bolton  was  killed 
outright. 

The  boarders  cleared  the   decks    of  the 

pirate.     They    were    found    slippery  with 

blood,  and  strewed  with   the  dead  and  the 

dying.     The  men  ceased  to  fight  when  Kidd 

7 


74  FORT  BRADDOCK 

fell,  for  they  apprehended  little  danger  from 
capture,  as  many  of  them  had  been  compel 
led  into  the  pirate's  service,  and  wished  an 
opportunity  to  leave  it.  This  was  under 
stood,  and  they  experienced  as  kind  treat 
ment  as  they  hoped  for.  The  Martyr  was 
dreadfully  injured,  and  lost  many  of  her 
rthen  ;  but  the  Quedah  was  sinking. 

The  prisoners,  with  every  thing  valua 
ble  which  could  be  removed,  were  immedi 
ately  conveyed  to  the  other  ship,  which  lay 
along  side.  Dudley  gave  orders  to  fall  off, 
leaving  a  boat's  crew  to  set  fire  to  the  prize 
and  leave  her.  Kidd,  who  had  been  brought 
too,  was  conveyed  with  the  survivors  of  the 
crew  on  board  the  Martyr  ;  strict  attention 
was  paid  to  the  wounded  of  both  parties; 
the  sloop  of  war  repaired  as  well  as  possi 
ble,  for  immediate  sailing ;  and  the  sad  ser 
vice  of  burying  the  dead,  at  which  the  cap 
tain  is  always  present.  Dudley  deferred  to 
the  next  day,  in  hope  that  he  might  possi 
ble  arrive  in  port  before  that  mournful  of 
fice  would  be  necessary. 


LETTERS.  75 

LETTER  IX. 

»  By  skeleton  shapes  her  sails  are  furPd, 

And  the  hand  that  steers  is  not  of  this  world." 

We  resume   that  part  of  the  tale  which 
relates  to  Dudley  and  Kidd. 

The  last  boat  had  now  left  the  Quedah, 
in  haste,  after  setting  her  on  fire,  and  leav 
ing  none  on  board  but  the  dead.  They  had 
scarcely  joined  the  Martyr,  when  a  fresh 
breeze  sprung  up  from  the  southwaid,  and 
drove  the  Q,uedah  before  the  wind,  wrap 
ped  in  deep  red  flames,  in  the  same  direc 
tion  with  the  victor  ship,  and  apparently  in 
pursuit.  A  current  of  air  was  raised  by  the 
heat,  which  made  her  gain  in  this  singular 
chase.  Her  sails  and  rigging  which  had 
not  been  shot  away,  were  all  set  and  stand 
ing,  and  the  quick  flames  fed  by  tar  and 
pitch,  ran  along  her  cordage  and  leaped  to 
the  very  top  gallant  head,  while  the  ship 
was  yet  above  water,  and  under  full  waj, 
as  though  the  dead  men  on  board  of  her  had 
awakened  with  new  life,  and  sprung  to  their 
duty. 

This  appearance,  as  she  held  onward 
wrapped  in  smoke  and  blaze,  added  to  her 
character  as  a  pirate,  was  a  spectacle  to  the 
crowded  deck  of  the  Martyr,  where  some 
viewed  it  as  sublime,  and  some  as  porten 
tous  and  supernatural. 


76  FORT    ERADDOCK 

*  ' 

The  spectacle  was  long-  after  recorded 
among  the  marvels,  and  gave  rise  to  the 
tale  of  the  Ghost  ship,  or  flying  Dutchman, 
which  was  manned  by  spectres,  and  with  all 
her  canvass  spread,  sailed  rapidly  in  a  gale 
against  the  wind.  It  was  necessary  for  the 
Martyr  to  bear  away  for  fear  of  being  run 
down  by  this  dreadful  fire-ship. 

The  prisoner  of  Kidd,  who  had  been  so 
providentially  saved  from  drowning,  excited 
very  strongly  the  sympathy  of  Captain  Dud 
ley. 

"  Were  it  not  for  the  war  wiih  France," 
said  he,  addressing  the  stranger,  "you 
should,  on  our  arrival  at  Boston,  be  set  im 
mediately  at  liberty  ;  but  under  existing  cir 
cumstances,  though  the  rescued  prisoner  of 
a  pirate,  you  are  still  in  my  hands  a  prison 
er  of  war,  and  your  parole  of  honor  is  the 
only  indulgence  I  can  give  you." 

Du  Bourg,  ior  that  was  his  name,  thank 
ed  his  deliverer  with  a  deep  feeling  of  grat 
itude,  and  expressed  a  desire  to  continue 
under  his  protection. 

"  1  fear,"  said  Dudley,  "  we  shall  find  it 
impposible.  My  services  on  the  water,  af 
ter  the  capture  of  Kidd,  will  be  no  longer 
required.  My  character  in  this  new  settle 
ment."  said  he  with  a  smile,  u  is  rather  am 
phibious  ;  and  I  shall  soon  after  my  arrival, 
be  despatched  on  a  long  and  fatigueing  land 
service,  to  the  borders  of  Lake  Champlain. 


LETTERS.  77 

where  the  French  and  Indians,  on  the  fron 
tier,  threaten  to  disturb  and  destroy  the 
New  England  settlements." 

"  If  that  be  your  destination,"  said  the 
stranger,  "  I  will  gladly  follow  you  ;  strange 
as  it  may  seem,  my  business  is  to  visit  that 
very  spot.  Th  *re,  in  younger  life,  on  the 
western  shore  of  that  lake,  was  I  stationed 
as  an  officer  in  Le  Gendre's  regiment,  be 
fore  I  was  ordered  on  other  service.  There 
1  lost  my  wile,  and  left  my  only  daughter. 
She  was  then  an  infant ;  and  now  if  living, 
a  woman.  I  know  where,  and  with  whom 
I  left  her.  I  have  regularly  heard  from 
her,  and  I  can  find  the  very  spot  of  her 
abode,  after  an  absence  of  twenty  years.  1 
am,"  added  he,  "  a  man  of  property,  and  if 
I  find  rny  daughter,  shall  become  a  citizen 
of  that  country  where  I  spent  my  happiest 
days." 

Dudley  made  the  proposal  that  Du  Bourg 
should  be  his  company  across  the  country, 
and  march  with  the  troops  which  were  to 
be  in  readiness  at  Tautinsque,  near  the  nor 
thern  line  of  the  colony,  to  which  place 
Dudley  would  repair  with  him,  after  rep 
resenting  his  case  to  the  Governor  of  the 
Massachusetts  colony,  discharging  his  crew, 
and  settling  his  concerns  as  commander  of 
the  Martyr. 

On  their  arrival  at  Boston,  the  news  of 
the  capture  of  the  pirate  was  soon  spread; 
7* 


78  FORT    BRADDOCK 

witnesses  were  summoned,  Dudley  among 
the  rest — and  even  the  peaceful  inhabitants 
of  Gardiner's  Island  to  attend  the  public  ex 
amination  of  Kidd,  who  was  oh  this  prelim 
inary^  proof,  sent  home  to  England  for  trial, 
where,  after  an  examination  by  the  House 
of  Commons,  he  terminated  his  voyages,  as 
recorded  in  the  New  Gate  calendar,  and  in 
the  ballad,  of  which  he  was  the  hero. 

"  At  Execution  Dock,  as  he  sailed." 

Meanwhile  the  provincial  troops,  in  this 
instance,  principally  from  Massachusetts, 
though  aided  by  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Is 
land,  had  taken  up  their  line  of  march,  and 
with  their  military  "  furnishments,"  accom 
plished  a  journey  of  difficulty,  through  a 
country  unsettled,  and  but  little  known,  and 
encamped  in  safety  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
Champlain.  They  were  strongly  posted  to 
defend  the  country  against  an  unexpected 
inroad  from  the  French  and  hostile  Indians. 

Du  Bourg  was  anxious  for  the  safety  of 
his  daughter,  and  obtained  from  Dudley  per 
mission  to  cross  the  lake  with  a  party  of 
men,  to  convey  her,  and  the  family  in  which 
she  lived  out  of  the  immediate  neighbor 
hood  of  Indian  hostilities,  which  were  at 
this  time  more  rife  on  the  New  York  side. 
As  soon  as  he  discovered  their  residence, 
he  spent  little  time  even  in  expressing  his 
joy,  but  hurried  their  departure  from  a  place 


LETTERS.  79 

• 

of  peril.  Pie  had  reason  to  be  thankful  for 
his  expeditious  course  ;  for  on  the  night  fol 
lowing,  a  detachment  from  the  Iroquois  cjime 
upon  the  plantation,  and  finding  it  deserted 
laid  the  whole  in  ashes. 

The  New  England  troops  were  disposed 
in  barracks  and  huts  of  their  own  construc 
tion,  and  as  they  had  chosen  a  commanding 
place  which  they  meant  to  fortify  strongly, 
they  erected  some  log  houses,  in  one  of 
which,  Dudley  lived  with  Du  Bourg  and 
the  inmates  of  the  removed  family.  The 
troops  were  well  disciplined,  and  inured  to 
this  sort  of  warfare.  They  kept  by  night 
and  day,  the  strictest  watch  against  their 
northern  enemies,  of  every  character,  by 
land  or  water. 

It  was  after  the  regular  arrangement  of 
military  duty,  that  a  centinel  at  his  post 
near  the  shore  of  the  lake,  where  it  indent 
ed  the  land  with  a  little  shady  bay,  indistinct 
ly  discerned  the  figures  of  two  men.  He 
stood  waiting  their  approach  to  a  short  dis 
tance  before  he  should  hail.  One  he  saw 
was  an  Indian— the  other  was  dressed  in  tat 
tered  clothes,  and  W7as  doubtless  a  spy  ;  and 
how  many  more  might  be  in  the  woods  be 
hind  them,  he  could  only  imagine.  He  edg 
ed  towards  the  side  of  a  tree,  and  cocked 
his  gun  as  he  cried,  "  Who  goes  there  !" 

"Friends." 

"  Friends  stand  !  don't  advance,"  said  the 
centinel  in  alarm,  then  straining  his  voice  to 


80  FORT    BRADDOCK 

the  utmost,  he  called  "  Du — lha — n,"  dwek 
ling  on  the  last  syllable,  like  a  village  mat 
ron  calling  her  skulking  children,  or  as  a 
militia  colonel  on  a  regimental  day,  calls 
"  atten — tion  the  whole," 

Corporal  Jeduthun  Banks,  of  Marblehead 
had  just  incurred  the  severities  of  the  mar 
tial  law,  by  stretching  his  martial  length, 
and  "•  reposing  his  weary  virtue"  at  the  foot 
of  an  oak  tree,  and  had  just  mentally  joined 
in  Sancho's  bension  upon  the  "  man  who 
first  invented  this  self  same  thing  called 
sleep,"  when  he  was  aroused  by  the  unwel 
come  cry  of  his  companion  in  arms. 

"  As  when  men  wont  to  watch 

"  On  duty,  found  sleeping  by  whom  they  dread 
"  Rouse  and  bestir  themselves  e'er  well  awake." 

He  was  instantly  on  the  ground,  where 
his  platoon  of  men  were  directly  paraded, 
and  received  the  new  comers,  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet. 

Du  Quesne  (for  he  and  Weshop  were 
the  intruders)  requested  that  they  might  be 
shown  to  the  quarters  of  the  chief  in  com 
mand. 

They  found  him  alone,  in  a  small  log  hut, 
without  a  fire,  and  with  no  appearance  of 
comfort  or  convenience  about  it:  a  light 
was  burning  upon  a  large  log  of  wood  saw 
ed  at  the  end,  so  as  to  resemble  a  horse 
block,  more  than  a  table,  though  it  was 


LETTERS.  81 

meant  for  the  latter.  The  person  who  was 
seated  at  it,  requires  a  more  particular  de 
scription. 

Miles  Standish  had  the  only  pride  of  birth 
which  is  pardonable  in  this  country.  He 
was  directly  descended  from  one  of  those 
men,  who  ate  their  meal  of  clams  near 
Plymouth  Rock,  and  listened  to  the  grace 
which  Parson  Robinson  said  over  them. 
Even  the  puritans,  who  fled  from  the  stake, 
called  him  obstinate,  and  considered  him  in 
matters  of  faith,  as  rather  intolerant.  He 
hated  all  separates,  as  he  called  them  ;  but 
his  greatest  dislike  was  towards  the  church 
of  Rome,  and  for  reasons  which  he  pretend 
ed  to  be  able  to  explain,  he  was  not  very 
cordial  to  the'  church  of  England.  The 
men  who  stoned  the  first  martyrs,  he  would 
say,  were  no  worse  than  those  who  stood 
and  held  their  garment.  Nay,  in  the  zeal 
of  some  of  his  controversial  conversation,  he 
ventured  to  call  them  worse — they  were 
more  cowardly  and  less  sincere. 

Godfrey  of  Boiogne,  aever  put  on  hi?  har 
ness  against  the  enemies  of  the  cross  in  the 
Holy  Land,  with  more  zeal,  than  Miles 
Standish  buckled  on  his  sword  against  the 
French  and  Indians,  in  this  Land  of  Prom 
ise.  He  referred  to  the  scriptural  account, 
of  the  march  of  the  Israelites  from  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  the  bouse  of  bondage,  -rti  <>[)- 
plied  it  literally,  as  did  many  others  10  the 


82  FORT    BRADDOCK 

emigration  of  the  puritans  ;  and  he  derived 
his  authority  for  much  of  his  own  conduct, 
from  the  fighting  part  of  the  character  of 
Joshua.  The  Onondagas — the  Tuscaroras 
— the  Wampagoes — and  the  Potawatomies, 
were  with  him,  but  the  other  names  for  the 
Hitlites — Porezites — Jehusites  and  Gergu- 
shiles;  all  of  whom  were  to  be  exterminat 
ed.  Indeed  it  Father  Raal,  on  his  way  from 
Penobscot  to  his  Catholic  friends,  had  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  Miles  Standish,  he  would 
have  considered  the  fate  of  Affag  as  his  suf 
ficient  warrant.  He  possessed  vigorous 
strength,  was  patient  of  fatigue,  and  fixed 
in  his  purpose.  A  man  as  Mr.  Southey  says, 

u  Firm  lo  resolve,  and  stubborn  to  endure." 

He  sat  reading  Pilgrim's  Progress,  which 
he  allegorised  beyond  the  spirit  of  Bunyan 
himself. 

LETTER  X. 

After  hearing  Du  Quesne,  without  inter 
ruption,  "  are  you,"  said  he,  "  true  men 
and  no  spies  ?  Is  it  not  to  spy  out  the  na 
kedness  of  the  Jand  ye  are  come  ?  You,  sir, 
must  be  a  Frenchman,  and  surely,  if  ever  I 
saw  one,  this  is  an  Indian  Know  you  not 
that  it  is  against  such  that  I  have  come  out 
to  fight?  I  have  the  authority  of  scripture 
history.  It  is  in  vain  for  the  Kenites  to  air 


LETTERS.  83 

tempt  deceiving  me,  with  their  old' shoes, 
and  clouted,  tattered  garments,  and  mouldy 
beard,  and  broken  bottles." 

The  dialogue  between  them,  lasted  some 
time.  The  engaging  manners  and  conversa 
tion  of  Du  Quesne,  interested  the  chieftain, 
though  it  was  apparent  he  doubted  the  truth 
of  the  story,  and  looked  on  the  disinterest 
ed  heroism  of  Weshop,  particularly,  as  apoc 
ryphal. 

"  But  aside  from  his  incredubility,  and  some 
strong  suspicions  of  design,  he  resolved  not 
to  cross  the  lake,  but  to  keep  his  provin 
cials  within  the  boundary  of  New  England. 
He  cared  as  little  for  the  Dutch  as  for  the 
French. 

"  Let  them,"  said  he  to  himself,  «  fight  it 
out  between  themselves,  and  if  the  Indians 
take  sides,  so  much  the  better." 

Great  was  the  joy  of  Du  Quesne,  when 
he  learned  that  Dudley,  his  long  lost,  and 
as  he  supposed,  far  distant  friend,  was  on 
the  spot,  and  the  second  in  command.  He 
hastened  to  his  quarters,  where  he  found 
Du  Bourg  and  his  daughter.  Standish  was 
present  at  this  cordial  interview,  and  listen 
ed  once  more,  but  with  greater  confidence 
and  interest,  to  the  story  and  request.  The 
anxiety  of  Dudley  was  extreme.  He  saw 
the  emaciated  form  of  Du  Quesne,  worn 
down  by  famine,  fatigue  and  suffering — rep 
resented  to  himself  the  exposure  of  Van 


84  FORT    BUADDOCK 

Tromp  to  a  fate  from  which  it  might  even 
now  be  too  late  to  save  him,  and  made  up 
his  mind.  u  I  will  go,  and  that  immediate 
ly,  if  1  go  alone.  Major  Standish,"  said  he 
u  this  is  no  matter  of  political  or  provincial 
interest  ;  it  is  rny  private  business,  and  of 
great  emergency.  Providence  gives  me 
this  opportunity — perhaps  the  only  one  of 
redeeming  a  sacred  pledge  ;  my  sworn,  my 
bosom  friend  is  in  peril  !  "  See,"  said  he, 
pointing  to  Weshop,  •'  what  an  example  this 
man  has  set  me." 

•l  Ah,  he's  a  Kenite,"said  Standish,  wring 
ing  Weshop's  hand,  "  worthy  to  be  ranked 
with  Squantum  himself. — In  a  case  like  this 
I  will  not  be  outdone  by  the  best  heathen 
that  ever  lived.  Weshop  !  but  there's  no 
time  to  be  lost — beat  to  arms!  I  wish,"  ad 
ded  he,  in  a  lower  tone  to  Dudley,  "  that 
Weshop  was  a  chrisXian — he  would  make  a 
better  one  than  some  white  men  I  know  of  ; 
but  now  have  the  boats  ready — I'll  show 
you  how  to  deal  with  Indians,  when  you 
catch  them  on  fair  ground,  in  a  body.  We 
shop,  you  must  lead  us.  Capt.  Dudley,  we 
march  Indian  file,  without  music. — Three 
ferriages  will  carry  over  as  many  as  we 
want.  Let  the  ladies  stay  with  those  who 
keep  guard  at  the  camp.  If  I  don't  return 
I'll  send  for  them." 

During  the    bustle  of  a  slight   and   rapid 
preparation,  the  young  lady  found  means  to 


LETTERS.  85 

set  her  large  dark  eyes  upon  Du  Qucsne, 
and  beckon  him  towards  her.  "This,  sir," 
said  she,  u  is  no  time  for  ceremony,  or  af 
fected  delicacy.  I  feel  interested  in  the 
safety  of  your  friend.  I  shall  wait  here,  oh, 
with  how  m'.ich  anxiety,  to  hear  of  your  ar 
rival  in  time  to  save  him  ;  and  [  beg  that  as 
soon  as  he  is  safe,  I  may  be  immediately  sont 
for,  to  join  yon  and  Mr.  Dudley,  at  the  Blast 
ed  Tree.  I  know  from  your  zeal,  you  will 
save  him,  1  know  you  will  ;  but  you  have 
eaten  nothing.  These  hasty  men  forgot  to 
ask  you,  and  you  have  forgot  to  call  :  here 
I  will  set  a  table  for  you  and  wait  upon  you 
myself." 

•'  I  must  not  eat  without  my  friend." 

"  Who  ?" 

"  The  Indian  warrior  that  brought  me 
here." 

"  Oh  !  VVeshop,  I  know  him,  let  me  call 
him  myself." 

Weshop  came  back,  but  the  honest  fellow 
could  not  stay  for  a  regular  meal,  he  look  a 
quantity  of  provision  in  his  hand,  to  eat  as 
he  went  onwards  to  the  place  of  embarka 
tion,  saying  as  he  left  the  shore — "  make 
haste,  make  haste." 

The  party  in  fine  order,  and  under  strict 
discipline,  were  soon  paraded,  marched  and 
wheeled  to  the  landing. 

Tbe  lake  at  a  narrow  place,  was  ferried 
->ver.  again  and  again,  till  all  but  a   guard 
8 


86  FORT    BRADDOCK 

for  the  defence  of  the  women,  and  the  few 
effects  that  were  left  behind,  had  quit  the 
shore.  Miles  Standish  directed  the  embar 
kation  himself,  and  brought  up  the  rear  in 
the  last  boat,  with  his  drummer,  trumpeter 
and  bugleman  ;  and  as  he  had  an  ear  for 
music,  and  a  strong  taste  for  sublime  scene 
ry,  he  directed  them  to  play  Old  Hundred, 
and  accompanied  them  with  his  voice  in 
these  noble  words  : 

"  When  Israel  free'd  from  Pharaoh's  hand, 
Left  the  proud  tyrant  and  his  land — 
The  tribes  with  joyi'ul  homage  own 
Their  King,  and  Judah  was  his  throne." 
This  psalm  he  sung  to  the  end,  as  he  sal 
in  the  stern   of  the  boat,  and  the  bugleman 
swelled    his  cheeks   in  vain,  to  overpower 
the  loud  bold  tones  of  this   vocal  accompa 
niment. 

They  landed  and  took  up  their  line  of 
march  in  the  dark,  till  the  moon,  just  past 
the  full,  shone  on  the  rocks  and  woods  west 
of  Lake  Champlain. 

"  Who  is  there  to  mourn  for  Logan." 
Van  Tronap,  and  his  small  garrison,  had 
evidence  of  the  misfortune  that  had  befal 
len  their  friends,  when  they  saw,  the  second 
day  after  their  departure,  straggling  rem 
nants  of  the  hunters,  returning  in  haste  and 
disorder.  His  anxiety  for  Du  Quesne  and 
Weshop,  was  succeeded  by  a  horrid  convic 
tion,  when  he  saw  his  savage  enemies  as 
sembling  in  formidable  numbers  naar  the 


LETTERS.  87 

edge  of  the  wood  on  the  south  side,  at  a  lit 
tle  more  than  gunshot  distance.  There 
they  seemed  deliberating,  whether  to  com 
mence  an  immediate  attack,  or  wait  for 
some  less  hazardous  mode  of  gaining  their 
purpose.  The  latter  course  was  adopted, 
principally,  because  they  expected  by  the 
next  night,  to  he  joined  by  another  body. — 
In  the  mean  time  the  best  preparations  were 
made  in  the  garrison,  against  an  Indian  mas 
sacre.  %» 

The  night  and  the  next  day  were  spent 
in  watching,  and  the  ensuing  evening  wit 
nessed  the  expected  addition  to  the  Indian 
force.  An  assault  was  now  certain  ;  an  in 
discriminate  murder  would  he  the  probable 
consequence  of  their  success.  Twenty 
times  a  day  had  Jonathan's  head,  as  he  rais 
ed  it  above  the  breastwork,  been  a  mark  lor 
musket  balls  and  Indian  arrows,  and  twice 
as  often,  through  the  loopholes  and  crevices, 
had  he  returned  this  mark  of  attention  with 
his  nflt?. 

"  What  think's  become  of  Weshop?" 
said  Shadrach,  "  I  never  missed  him  as 
much  afore,  in  my  life." 

u  Poor  fellow,1'  said  Jonathan  Hodges, 
u  I  guess  that  bag  of  hair  is  off  his  head,  by 
this  time — 'twas  a  mighty  handy  thing  to 
catch  him  by." 

u  It  makes  me  crawl  to  the  heart,  Jona 
than,  but  I  expect  we  shall  be  killed  to- 


7' 

/'vV'"f'  "^ 

88'  I'OKT    BUADDOOK 

night.  They  mny  kill  my  master—  I  most 
hope  it'll  be  my  turn  first.  There's  him, 
poor  soul,  hobbling  about  when  he  ought  to 
be  abed." 

li  Ah,  Shadrach,  we  shall  have  a  field  bed 
to-night,  and  a  bloody  one  too,  I'm  think 
ing." 

Shadrach  in  obedience  to  an  order  from 
Van  Tromp,  posted  himself  on  the  lop  of 
the  house  to  look  out.  It  was  now  night, 
and  the  lull  ntoon  had  been  some  time  risen. 
The  Indians  from-  without  commenced  stor 
ming  the  place,  and  rushed  towards  the  a- 
battis  with  yells  and  war-whoops.  They 
attempted  to  cut  them  down,  and  to  set  them 
on  fire  ;  but  as  they  had  been  newly  made 
of  green  trees  drawn  close  together  with 
their  roots  inward,  they  found  themselves 
stopped  and  exposed  to  the  sure  aim  of  the 
markfmen,  who  shot  from  the  bastions. 

They  then  attacked  the  gate,  hand  to 
hand,  and  the  fight  became  furious — but  the 
besiegers  had  the  advantage  of  number*, 
and  it  was  pretty  certain  that  they  would 
soon  make  good  their  entrance.  The  as 
sailants  were  animated  with  the  hope  of  suc 
cess,  and  the  defenders  made  desperate  nt 
the  fate  which  impended  over  them  and 
theirs. 


LETTERS.  89 

LETTER  XI. 

Most  of  the  fighting-  men  in  the  garrison 
had  now  drawn  round  this  place  of  combat. 
The  besiegers  had  foreseen  this,  and  had 
placed  a  body  of  men  in  ambush,  \rlio  were 
to  attempt  gaining  the  place,  by  scaling  the 
sleep  ledge  of  rocks  which  formed  the  nor 
thern  angle  of  the  enclosure.  This  party 
had  already  risen  from  the  bushes,  and  was 
running  to  that  part  which  was  defended 
only  by  the  natural  steepness  of"  the  ascent, 
when  Shadrach,  who  was  the  only  one  that 
saw  this  mano2uvre,  gave  the  alarm  ;  but  in 
the  confusion  and  horror  of  the  moment  he 
had  no  chance  of  being  understood.  In  the 
agony  of  despair,  he  ran  to  the  spot  alone. 
They  were  already  climbing  the  face  of  the 
rock,  and  pulling  themselves  up  by  the 
bushes  that  grew  out  of  its  clefts. — The 
large  trunk  of  an  oak  tree  had  been  placed 
along  the  top  of  the  ledge,  where  it  served 
as  a  sort  of  breast-work  for  about  twenty 
feet.  The  thoughts  that  he  might  instantly 
be  despatched,  gave  him  new  strength,  and 
quickened  his  ingenuity.  He  seized  a  stake, 
which  he  applied  as  a  lever  to  the  middle 
of  the  log.  It  moved — tottered  a  moment 
on  the  edge  of  the  precipice — he  applied 
all  his  strength — it  fell  ;  and  Shadrach  dart 
ed  back  with  all  his  speed.  Never,  even 
in  ancient  days,  was  a  more  dreadful  missile 
8* 


. 

5:10  FORT    BRADDOCK 

put  in  motion.  The  face  of  the  rock  was 
covered  with  the  assailants,  and  the  base 
was  crowded  with  others  waiting1  to  ascend. 
The  ruin  swept  and  crushed  all  before  it. 
Those  who  escaped,  retired,  and  paused  for 
a  moment,  but  observing  no  one  above,  ven 
tured  the  attempt,  and  a  few  gained  the  top. 

Meanwhile  those  who  defended  the  gate 
were  on  the  point  of  being  overpowered. 
when  the  troops  under  Standish  nnd  Dud 
ley  emerged  from  the  woods.  They  saw- 
how  critical  the  moment  was,  and  rushed 
to  their  aid.  A  full  fire  of  musketry  and 
arrows  was  poured  in  upon  the  savages,  and 
bayonets,  swords,  and  tomahawks,  were  im 
mediately  in  contact.  Weshop  and  Da 
Quesne,  alarmed  at  the  dangerous  situation 
of  their  friends,  and  personally  exasperated 
with  the  enemy,  were  directly  merged  in 
the  middle  of  the  combat. 

A  conflict  like  (his  could  not  last  long. — 
The  savages  were  amazed  at  an  attack  so 
unexpected;  they  fled  hastily  in  every  di 
rection,  and  were  followed  by  Standish  to 
the  woods,  where  he  ordered  the  grass  and 
bushes  to  be  set  on  fire.  It  was  instantly 
done,  in  an  hundred  different  places.  He 
then  blew  his  horn  to  call  in  his  men.  (Avho 
might  be  in  danger  of  an  ambush)  and  en 
tered  the  garrison. 

The  women  -md  children  had  been  shut 
np  in  a  sort  of  block  house,  and  escaped  un- 


LETTERS.  91 

hurt.  Few  who  belonged  to  the  garrison, 
but  were  wounded  or  killed.  Van  Tromp 
was  much  hurt,  and  Jonathan  would  never 
have  found  his  way  from  the  gate,  had  not 
Shadrach  litied  him  in  his  arms. 

Du  Quesne  in  almost  breathless  eager 
ness,  met  him  as  he  was  staggeiing  under 
his  burthen. 

"  Where  is  Weshop,"  said  he. 

The  African's  heart  was  undergoing  such 
mixed  emotions  of  joy  and  sorrow,  as  almost 
choaked  his  utterance.  He  could  only  say 
"dead." 

Du  Quesne  stopped,  and  for  a  moment, 
friends,  country,  all  were  forgot  but  poor 
Weshop. 

Almost  all  the  garrison  were  by  this  time 
assembled  at  the  gate.  Weshop  lay  cover 
ed  with  his  wounds,  in  the  midst  of  his  foes  ; 
his  bow  was  near  him,  and  his  bloody  toma 
hawk  was  clenched  in  his  hand.  He  was 
bitterly  lamented  by  more  than  one.  Du 
Quesne's  grief  could  not  be  silent.  "  He 
lifted  up  his  voice  and  wept."' 

Weshop  was  buried  with  military  honors  ; 

his  grave  is  still  marked  by  a  pile  of  large 

stones,  on  one  of  which  there  seems  to  have 

been  an  inscription,  but  it  cannot   now    be 

ead. 

The  newly  arrived  troops,  took  up  their 
quarters,  for  the  present,  in  the  garrison; 
for  several  of  them  were  unable  to  march, 
8*-2 


92  FORT   BRADDOCK 

and  the  new  settlers  had  been  so  reduced 
in  number,  and  were  so  many  of  them 
wounded,  that  they  could  not  well  be  left 
in  their  present  condition. 

One  chilly  evening  in  November,  most  of 
the  personages  mentioned  in  the  MS.  were 
sitting  in  the  best  room  of  the  garrison, 
round  a  cheerful  lire,  ruminating,  some  on 
the  past,  and  some  on  the  future,  but  saying 
little  to  disturb  one  anothers  thoughts.  Van 
Tromp  was  still  an  invalid  ;  Du  Bourg  now 
and  then  smiled  to  see  the  attentions  of  his 
new  found  daughter,  to  one  whose  first 
wound*  were  received  in  her  service,  and 
whose  modest  eye,  when  he  felt  occasional 
twinges  of  pain  from  wounds,  more  recent, 
seemed  to  look  to  her  for  relief. 

Standish  was  saying  to  Dudley,  (who  was 
thinking  of  something  else)  that  the  VVinne- 
bagoes,  and  the  Potawatomies  would  never 
join  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  after  this, 
and  that  the  French  would  soon  be  obliged 
to  confine  themselves  to  the  Canada  line  ; 
and  Du  Quesne  was  thinking  almost  to  tears 
of  the  virtues  of  Weshop.  when  Shadrach 
entered  the  room  with  Du  Quesne's  watch 
in  his  hand. 

ik  Massa  Du  Quesne,"  said  he,  "  here's 
your  watch — you  left  it  when  you  went  a 
hunting;  I  buried  it  the  night  of  the  battle, 
so  it  don't  go.  I've  been  trying  to  put  it  to 
rights,  but  I  can't  make  out." 


LETTERS.  93 

"  Thank  ye  Weshop,  I  mr.an  Shadrach," 
said  Du  Quesne. 

Du  Bourg's  eye  was  on  the  watch. 

"  Let  me  see  it,"  said  he  to  Du  Quesne  ; 
u  it's  a  very  elegant  one." 

He  took  it,  opened  and  examined  it  with 
surprise. 

4k  Where  did  you  get  it  ?  pardon  my  in 
quiry." 

Du  Quesne  told  him  all  he  knew  about  it 
or  about  himself. 

"  You  see  sir,"  said  he,  "  our  stories  are 
intimately  connected." 

"  My  young  friend,"  said  Du  Bourg, "  tell 
me  when  and  where  you  was  born  ?" 

Du  Quesne  told  him — u  but  you  are  un 
well  sir,"  said  he,  as  he  took  back  the  watch. 

"  Slightly,"  said  he  ;  "  Captain  Dudley., 
I  wish  to  speak  with  you." 

"  Me,  sir,"  said  Dudley,  who  had  been 
twirling  his  sword  with  his  becket,  as  sailors 
call  it,  that  was  fastened  to  the  hilt,  and 
whose  mind  had  been  so  absent  that  he  had 
heard  only  the  last  request,  as  it  was  par 
ticularly  addressed  to  him.  "  Me,  sir  ?  I'll 
wait  on  you  sir." 

"  There's  a  good  fire  in  t'other  room," 
said  Shadrach,  as  he  showed  the  way. 

"  Captain  Dudley,"  said  Du  Bourg,  "  that 
young  man  is  my  lost  son  ;  he  is,  Captain 
Dudley." 


94  FORT    BRADDOCK 

"  A  worthier,  or  a  nobler  one,"  said  Dud 
ley,  "you  could  not  claim.  The  probabili 
ty  of  such  a  thing  occurred  to  me,  when 
you  told  me  on  board  the  Martyr,  why  you 
wanted  to  visit  the  banks  of  this  lake,  and 
that  you  had  two  children  in  this  country, 
though  you  expected  to  find  but  one  left. 
This  gentleman  was  my  class-mate,  and 
more— -he  was  my  bosom  friend.  I  know 
all  his  story." 

"  Sit  down  then  sir,  I  will  tell  you  mine 
without  being  tedious.  I  came  to  this  coun 
try  as  a  captain  in  the  33d  regiment  of  Roy 
al  Infantry.  The  regiment  was  never  as 
sembled  that  I  know  of.  I  was  employed 
as  an  inspecting  Officer — went  from  port  to 
port — was  occasionally  at  New  York,  and 
often  at  different  places  on  the  lake,  and  on 
the  Hudson. 

I  was  married  at  Sandy  Hill  to  a  lady  of 
the  most  respectable  connexions,  but  whose 
friends  were  averse  to  the  match,  owing  to 
my  commission  in  a  marching  regiment,  and 
my  liability  to  be  ordered  away.  I  liv«d  in 
New  York  wiih  my  wife  until  my  eldest 
child  was  two  years  old,  when  I  was  requir 
ed  to  join  a  battallion  of  our  regiment  as 
sembled  near  Lake  Champlain,  from  which 
it  was  soon  to  remove  to  Detroit,  on  the 
upper  lakes. 

The  little  boy  could  not  be  at  once  re 
moved  to  so  great  a  distance  considering 


LLTTLU3.  U5 

the  hazards  and  difficulties-  of  such  a  jour 
ney,  and  I  provided  lor  his  immediate  sup 
port  at  New  York,  in  the  family  whore  i 
had  liveri,  intending  to  send  for  him  when 
ever  I  should  find  myself  and  family  perma 
nently  settled.  This  time  never  arrived, 
and  I  was  afterwards  assured  of  his  death. 
— I  lost  my  wife  after  the  birth  of  a 
daughter.  I  was  soon  obliged  to  go  to  Mon 
treal — thence  to  Quebec;  and  instead  of 
being  ordered  to  Detroit,  as  was  expected, 
I  was  embarked  with  a  part  cf  the  regi 
ment,  and  sent  to  the  French  settlements  in 
the  East  Indies,  where  a  war  had  Unexpect 
edly  broken  out,  and  where  troops  were  im 
mediately  wanted.  I  had  only  lime  to  make 
provision  for  my  infant  daughter,  hy  entrust 
ing  her  to  the  care  of  the  lady  with  whom 
sli^  has  always  lived,  the  widow  of  an  offi 
cer  of  my  acquaintance  with  whom,  as  you 
know,  I  found  her. 

Upon  the  birth  of  my  first  child,  I  had 
written  to  my  brother,  younger  than  myself, 
whom  I  left  in  France  to  manage  my  pater 
nal  estate,  that  I  intended  to  call  him  Dvi 
Quesne,  after  a  distinguished  soldier  of  that 
country.  His  own  name  is  Carlos  Du 
Bourg.  The  ship  in  which  I  sailed,  was 
wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Mysore;  a  few  of 
us  gained  the  shore  in  a  boat,  but  the  news 
in  Europe,  (as  I  afterwards  learned)  was, 
that  she  wt\s  lost  with  all  her  crew.  My 


96  FORT   BRADDOCK 

brother  succeeded  to  my  property  in  France, 
which  this  son  would  have  inherited  on  my 
death.  The  sctlique  law  of  France,  you 
know,  would  exclude  the  daughter.  But  in 
the  management  of  this  boy.  I  fear  I  see  the 
hand  of  my  brother.  That  watch  is  mine  ; 
I  left  it  with  Voothies,  my  host  in  New 
York, with  an  earnest  request  that  the  child 
might  be  enjoined  to  keep  it  till  I  should 
see  him  again." 

Dudley  felt  assured  that  Du  Bourg  had 
found  his  son,  and  took  upon  himself  to 
break  the  tidings  to  his  friend.  "Nothing 
more,"  added  he,  "  can  be  wanting,  than 
the  letters  from  France,  which  can  be  pro~ 
cured  through  New  York." 

The  hour  was  now  late,  and  the  garrison 
was  silent.  Shadrach,  who  had  remained  a 
wandering  listener  to  this  strange  recital., 
declared  his  resolution  to  wake  up  his  mas 
ter,  and  tell  him  all  about  it. 

The  first  light  of  the  morning  discovered 
the  garrison  in  different  groups.  Dudley 
and  Du  Quesne — Du  Bourg  and  his  daught 
er — Shadrach  and  his  master,  with  Miles 
Standish,  who  said  it  fairly  put  him  in  mind 
of  the  story  of  Joseph. 

When  these  groups  collected,  Du  Quesne 
presented  himself  to  his  father  and  eister. 
His  feelings  had  been  of  late,  too  much  ag 
itated  to  admit  of  any  stronger  sensations 
than  calm  satisfaction,  at  the  discovery  of  a 


LETTERS.  97 

family  connexion  of  so  respectable  a   char 
acter. 

The  answer  to  Dudley's  inquiries  brought 
the  letters  which  Du  Bourg  knew  to  be  in 
the  hand-writing  of  his  brother;  and  they 
were  accompanied  with  the  intelligence 
that  the  gentleman  who  was  engaged  in  the 
duel  and  who  had  been  absent  from  New 
York  ever  since,  had  sent  from  the  southern 
plantations  an  account  of  that  affair,  which 
completely  exculpated  Du  Quesne. 


LETTER  XII. 

"The  last  boat  lingers  on  the  shore." 

The  mystery  which  had  hitherto  involv 
ed  the  life  of  Du  Quesne,  was  now  satisfac 
torily  cleared  up.  It  appeared  that  on  the 
reported  death  of  Du  Bourg,  his  brother  in 
France,  to  whom  the  inheritance  descended 
on  failure  of  male  heirs  in  the  elder  branch 
of  the  family,  had  taken  effectual  means  to 
keep  Du  Quesne  from  any  knowledge  of  his 
right,  or  even  of  his  parentage.  Though 
liis  temptation  proved  too  strong  for  his  re 
sistance,  yet,  a  remaining  sense  of  duty 
urged  him  to  supply  the  means  of  education, 
and  to  present  the  chance  of  future  support. 

Du  Quesne  never  changed  his  name.  He 
adopted  the  profession  of  arms,  and  served 


98  FORT   SHADDOCK 

in    several    campaigns    with    Dudley,    till 
peaceful  times 'restored  him  to  his  friends. 

The  successes  of  Van  Tramp's  courtship 
had  been  promoted  by  every  recent  occur 
rence.  He  served  to  unite  the  members  of 
a  long  separated  family,  with  one  between 
whom  and  themselves  there  had  been  an  in 
terchange  of  kind  offices,  and  mutual  obli 
gations. 

A  meeting  of  the  settlers  was  called,  at 
which  they  took  into  consideration  the  los 
ses  they  had  met  with,  the  unsettled  state  of 
the  country,  which  was  growing  daily  more 
dangerous,  and  their  increased  exposure  af 
ter  the  New  England  troops  should  be  with 
drawn  ;  and  resolved  to  retire  in  a  body  to 
the  southern  part  of  Lake  George.  Miles 
Standish  crossed  the  lake,  to  the  remnant 
of  his  former  camp,  with  a  view  of  march 
ing  down  the  eastern  side,  and  joining  the 
main  body  near  Ticonderoga  point.  The 
vow  of  friendship  was  solemnly  renewed, 
and  on  a  day  appointed,  Dudley  at  the  head 
of  his  troops,  look  up  his  line  of  march,  and 
escorted  the  whole  of  the  wandering  settle 
ment — as  in  patriarchal  times — with  their 
wives  and  their  little  ones — their  flocks  and 
their  herds;  leaving  fort  Braddock  to  its 
original  solitude,  which,  from  that  time  to 
this,  has  met  with  few  interruptions. 

THE    END. 


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